佳

jiā
adjective #4,388

Meanings

  1. 1 beautiful; fine
  2. 2 good; excellent

Examples

HSK 3
Chéngjì bù jiā.
The results are not good.
HSK 3
Jiājié kuàilè!
Happy festival!

Tips

culture
Literary / formal word for good; 最佳 = best, 佳节 = joyous festival.

Components

radical
亻 rén
person (radical)
Left person radical - the side-stacking form of 人. Pictures a standing figure in profile. Anchors 佳 in human-quality words: a person who is fine / excellent, hence the meaning 'good, beautiful, admirable'. Same family: 优 (excellent), 俊 (handsome), 健 (strong).
phonetic
圭 guī
jade tablet
Right 圭 supplies the sound - guī drifted to jiā, an irregular but historically attested shift. 圭 is a ceremonial jade tablet (two 土 stacked, an etched stone of rank), so the right side also faintly suggests preciousness - fitting for a 'fine' person. Same phonetic family: 街 (street), 蛙 (frog), 挂 (hang).

Stroke Order

佳 jiā