Chinese word

继

Pronunciation

Pinyinjì

Meaning

  • verbinherit

Example

这门手艺由儿子继承下来。zhè mén shǒu yì yóu ér zi jì chéng xià lái

The son inherited this craft.

Illustration for 继 (inherit)

More examples

他作为独生子女，决定继承父亲的公司。tā zuò wéi dú shēng zí nǚ jué dìng jì chéng fù qīn de gōng sī

As the only child, he decided to inherit his father's company.

Core concept

Carries an established thing from one stage to the next, preserving its use while allowing it to continue.

Common phrases

  • 继承家业jì chéng jiā yè

    inherit the family business

  • 继承遗产jì chéng yí chǎn

    inherit an estate

Similar words

继承jì chéng: Take over property, legal rights, or a position according to law or tradition.
传承chuán chéng: Preserve and pass cultural knowledge, skills, or traditions from one generation to the next.
继续jì xù: Continue an action or state after it has begun, without interruption.
延续yán xù: Make an existing condition or period last continuously.

Definition in Chinese

将前人传下来的技艺、习惯或职责接过来并传给后代，使其保持延续的动词。jiāng qián rén chuán xià lái de jì yì xí guàn huò zhí zé jiē guò lái bìng chuán gěi hòu dài shǐ qí bǎo chí yán xù de dòng cí

Word origin

The silk-thread radical in 继 (jì, "inherit; continue") evokes a line that stays unbroken, matching the idea of passing something onward.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often associate inheritance mainly with money or property, but Chinese also applies this word to a craft, custom, or responsibility passed through a family or group.

Other meanings

  • continueverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word