gài
noun #33,164

Meanings

  1. 1 general; approximate
  2. 2 manner; bearing

Examples

HSK 3
Dàgài wǔdiǎn zuǒyòu dào.
We'll arrive around five o'clock.
HSK 7-9
Qǐng shuō yīxià gàikuàng.
Please give an overview of the situation.

Tips

usage
appears in 大概 (roughly/probably), 概念 (concept), 概况 (general situation), 概率 (probability), 一概 (all without exception).

Components

radical
tree; wood
Left tree radical anchors in the wood family. Originally named the leveling stick of wood that was scraped across the top of a grain measure to give an exact, flush amount - hence the modern meaning 'rough total, general estimate.' Same radical: plank, branch, pole, mold.
phonetic
already; since
Right side supplies the sound, jì drifting to gài through historical k/j alternation. itself depicts a person turning away from a bowl of food they have already finished - 'already done.' That sense of 'finished, summed up' fits the leveling-stick metaphor of : once you have scraped, the count is final.

Stroke Order

gài