系

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 请系好安全带。▶ —
   Please fasten your seatbelt.
2. 他系上了鞋带。▶ —
   He tied his shoelaces.

Collocations

Mnemonic

系 is a polyphone. Read jì, it means to fasten or tie (a strap or lace): 系安全带 to fasten a seatbelt, 系鞋带 to tie shoelaces. Read xì, it means relation, system, department or to link: 关系 relationship, 系统 system, 数学系 the math department. This entry is the jì "to tie" sense. The same character splits cleanly between the action (to tie) and the abstract (relation), distinguished by reading. Korean renders jì as "to tie, fasten".

Related

Quick check

1. How is 系 read and what does it mean in 系安全带?

   • jì, "to fasten, tie"
   • xì, "relation"
   • xì, "system"
   • jì, "to rest"