Chinese Conversation · Level 19
90 words
Chinese word
戒指
Pronunciation
Pinyinjiè zhǐ
Meaning
- nounring
Example
他送了我一个戒指。tā sòng le wǒ yí gè jiè zhǐ
He gave me a ring.
More examples
婚礼上，她戴着戒指。hūn lǐ shàng tā dài zhe jiè zhǐ
At the wedding, she was wearing a ring.
Core concept
A finger-sized band worn as jewelry or as a visible mark of engagement or marriage.
Common phrases
戴着戒指dài zhe jiè zhǐ
wearing a ring
结婚戒指jié hūn jiè zhǐ
wedding ring
试戴戒指shì dài jiè zhǐ
try on a ring
Similar words
指环zhǐ huán: A decorative band worn around a finger in a variety of shapes and materials.
手镯shǒu zhuó: A solid, rounded ornament worn around the wrist and commonly made of metal or jade.
手链shǒu liàn: A wrist ornament made from connected links, a string, or beads.
项链xiàng liàn: A necklace made by joining metal pieces, jade, or gemstones and worn around the neck.
Definition in Chinese
套在手指上的环形首饰，材质常为金、银或镶嵌宝石，既可作为装饰，也常作为订婚或结婚的象征。tào zài shóu zhǐ shàng de huán xíng shǒu shì cái zhì cháng wèi jīn yín huò xiāng qiàn bǎo shí jì kě zuò wéi zhuāng shì yě cháng zuò wéi dìng hūn huò jié hūn de xiàng zhēng
Word origin
戒指 (jièzhǐ, "ring") has the partly opaque form 戒 (jiè, "guard or abstain") + 指 (zhǐ, "finger"), so its parts offer a clue to the finger but do not fully predict the modern meaning.
Usage tips
- A ring can be discussed as a gift or a symbol without automatically meaning engagement or marriage, because context determines that reading.
Related words
- 结婚戒指jié hūn jiè zhǐwedding ringnoun
- 订婚戒指dìng hūn jiè zhǐengagement ringnoun
- 戒指盒jiè zhǐ héring boxnoun