Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 士 represents the sound. In simplified Chinese 志 is also used to mean "write down, record", while in traditional Chinese this meaning is written with a separate character 誌.
Components
士 Phonetic component
shì soldier
scholar, gentleman
Originally the sound component was 之/止, but was later reanalyzed as 士, which also works as a sound component.
View phonetic series →心 Meaning component
xīn heart
Notes
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Historical Evolution
志
Bronze
Late Warring States (~250 BC)
志
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
志
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
志
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
志
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
志
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
志
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
志
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
志
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
志
Clerical
Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
志
Regular
Modern
Chinese
志 [zhì]
aspiration; ambition; the will
志 / 誌 [zhì]
sign; mark; to record; to write a footnote
Example Sentences
Japanese Names
志 ここ
Koko female given name
志 こころ
Kokoro female given name
志 こころざし
Kokorozashi surname
志 し
Shi surname
志 しい
Shii female given name
志 しさき
Shisaki surname
志 しむら
Shimura place name
志 のぞみ
Nozomi female given name
志 のぞむ
Nozomu given name
志 ゆき
Yuki female given name
CHINESE WORDS (183)
同志 [tóngzhì] #1,483
comrade
杂志 [zázhì] #1,214
magazine
标志 [biāozhì] #3,128
sign
意志 [yìzhì] #4,001
will
志愿者 [zhìyuànzhě] #6,623
volunteer
志愿者 [zhìyuànzhě] #6,623
volunteer
志愿 [zhìyuàn] #12,384
aspiration
志愿 [zhìyuàn] #12,384
aspiration
日志 [rìzhì] #7,236
journal
斗志 [dòuzhì] #11,588
will to fight
173 more
items
JAPANESE WORDS (128)
⭐ 意志 [いし] #1,883
will
⭐ 同志 [どうし] #6,530
like-mindedness
恋人同士 [こいびとどうし] #8,636
pair of lovers
⭐ 志望 [しぼう] #12,283
wish
⭐ 志願 [しがん] #13,142
aspiration
⭐ 闘志 [とうし] #13,779
fighting spirit
⭐ 意思表示 [いしひょうじ] #16,142
expressing one's feelings
⭐ 志す [こころざす] #16,403
to plan
⭐ 意思疎通 [いしそつう] #17,870
(reciprocal) communication
⭐ 有志 [ゆうし] #22,021
interested person
118 more
items