忌 (jì) · to avoid; to abstain from; to be wary of

Meanings

1 to avoid; to abstain from; to be wary of
2 to be jealous of; to envy
3 taboo; prohibition

Characters

忌

jì

to be jealous of; to fear; taboo

Examples

HSK 3

他的医生让他忌酒。

Tā de yīshēng ràng tā jì jiǔ.

His doctor told him to abstain from alcohol.

HSK 7-9

百无禁忌。

Bǎiwú-jìnjì.

No taboos whatsoever.

HSK 7-9

他才华出众，被人所忌。

Tā cáihuá chūzhòng, bèi rén suǒ jì.

His outstanding talent made others envious.

Tips

culture

忌日 (jìrì) is the anniversary of someone's death - a day of remembrance. Chinese culture has many 禁忌 (jìnjì, taboos): don't give clocks as gifts (送钟 sounds like 送终, seeing someone off to death), don't stick chopsticks upright in rice (resembles funeral incense).

Components

radical

心 xīn

heart; mind

Heart radical at the bottom anchors 忌 in the emotional vocabulary: jealousy, dread, taboo, abstention - these are all inner states. The full 心 form (as opposed to left-side 忄) is used because the component sits at the bottom of the character. Same arrangement appears in 怒 anger, 思 think, 念 remember.

phonetic

己 jǐ

self

Top supplies the sound: jǐ → jì (tone shift only). 己 also adds a hint of meaning - the things one avoids or holds taboo are matters of the self, things specific to one's own person or one's own customs. Same phonetic anchors 记 record, 起 rise.