忌 (jì): to avoid; to abstain from; to b…

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

他的医生让他忌酒。

Tā de yīshēng ràng tā jì jiǔ.

His doctor told him to abstain from alcohol.

百无禁忌。

Bǎiwújìnjì.

No taboos whatsoever.

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.