几jī

几

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Simplified · Today

简体

Simplified Chinese

Simplified form (簡體). 几 (jī) began as a pictograph of a low wooden table, its legs and surface clearly visible in ancient inscriptions—a humble piece of furniture that later took on the abstract meanings of "how many" and "almost" through phonetic borrowing. The traditional 幾 preserves more strokes, but the simplified version retains the essential form of that ancient table.

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Shuowen

几 (jī) is a pictograph of a low stool, showing a curved seat on simple legs, like a basic wooden bench. In oracle bone script the character appears as a rounded top with four short legs, capturing the shape of a humble seat used in Shang daily life. The original meaning of "stool" is reflected in the pictographic form, while later the character came to denote small numbers or indefinite quantities, as a stool is a small, movable object.

Pinyin

jī· HSK 1

几jī

Character evolution

Shuowen

Pinyin