机 jī
- Strokes
- 6
- Radical
- 木 — tree
- How it's built
- Ideograph — the meaning is built from its parts
机灵
jīling
quick-witted; clever; sharp
Characters in this word
灵 líng
- Strokes
- 7
- Radical
- 彐 — snout
- Made of
- 彐 snout 火 fire, flame
- How it's built
- Phono-semantic — one part hints at the meaning, another at the sound
Example phrases
- 这个孩子很机灵，听到大人话锋一转，就知道事情可能有变。 Zhège háizi hěn jīling, tīng dào dàren huàfēng yì zhuǎn, jiù zhīdào shìqing kěnéng yǒu biàn. The child is very quick-witted; as soon as the adults changed their tone, he knew something might be going on.
- 这只小狗很机灵，主人一招手它就跑过来了。 Zhè zhī xiǎogǒu hěn jīling, zhǔrén yì zhāoshǒu tā jiù pǎo guòlái le. This puppy is very sharp; as soon as its owner beckons, it runs over.
- 他脑子机灵，一下子就想出了解决办法。 Tā nǎozi jīling, yíxiàzi jiù xiǎng chū le jiějué bànfǎ. He is quick-minded and thought of a solution in an instant.