Depicts a person, who is full, turning away (旡) from a container of food (皀). Based on the original meaning "finish eating". The meaning later shifted to "complete" and "already".
Components
旡 Phonetic component
jì choke on something eaten
Depicts a person with their open mouth facing backwards.
View phonetic series →Notes
Sign in to add your own note
Historical Evolution
既
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
既
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
既
Bronze
Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
既
Bronze
Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
既
Bronze
Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
既
Bronze
Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
既
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
既
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
既
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
既
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
既
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
既
Seal
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
既
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
既
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
既
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
既
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
既
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
既
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
既
Regular
Modern
Chinese
既 [jì]
already; since; both... (and...)
Example Sentences
CHINESE WORDS (26)
既然 [jìrán] #1,077
since
既是 [jìshì] #36,546
is both ...(and...)
既有 [jìyǒu] #38,117
existing
一如既往 [yīrújìwǎng] #9,182
just as in the past (idiom); as before
既定 [jìdìng] #19,792
already fixed
既往 [jìwǎng] #18,266
past
既得利益 [jìdélìyì] #58,148
vested interest
既往不咎 [jìwǎngbùjiù] #27,812
to forget and not bear recriminations (idiom); to let bygones be bygones
既而 [jì'ér] #38,133
soon after
既成事实 [jìchéngshìshí] #41,182
fait accompli
16 more
items
JAPANESE WORDS (68)
⭐ 既に [すでに] #1,503
already
⭐ 既存 [きそん] #14,066
existing
既視感 [きしかん] #15,079
déjà vu
⭐ 既成事実 [きせいじじつ] #26,069
established fact
既知 [きち] #27,008
(already) known
既婚者 [きこんしゃ] #28,152
married person
既読 [きどく] #29,147
already read
時すでに遅し [ときすでにおそし] #38,392
it's already too late
既製品 [きせいひん] #40,262
ready-made goods
⭐ 気違い [きちがい] #44,749
madness
58 more
items