剧 jù — drama; play; show; severe
这部电视剧很受欢迎。Zhè bù diàn shì jù hěn shòu huān yíng.This TV drama is very popular.
Common words: 电视剧 (diàn shì jù)、剧场 (jù chǎng)、话剧 (huà jù)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "play"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "play", including 剧 (jù), 戏 (xì), 抹 (mǒ / mò), 踢 (tī). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "play" covers 4 different Chinese characters — 剧 (jù), 戏 (xì), 抹 (mǒ / mò), 踢 (tī) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 4 characters do not share a sound — their readings span jù, xì, mǒ, mò, tī — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 剧 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 剧 jùdrama; play; show; severeUseful words: 电视剧, 剧场
- 戏 xìtrick; drama; play; showUseful words: 游戏, 戏剧
- 抹 mǒ / mòplay; to smear; girdle; brassiere; to plasterUseful words: 涂抹, 抹杀
- 踢 tīkick; play (football or soccer)Useful words: 踢馆, 踢爆
Common words for these 4 "play" characters
Anchor each of these 4 characters in a word you can picture — start with 剧 (jù) — so "play" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
电视剧diàn shì jùTV series; TV drama剧场jù chǎngtheater话剧huà jùstage play; modern drama游戏yóu xìgame (; to play戏剧xì jùa drama; a play; theater; script of a play游戏机yóu xì jīvideo game machine; video game console涂抹tú mǒto paint; to smear; to apply (makeup etc); to doodle抹杀mǒ shāto erase; to cover traces; to obliterate evidence; to expunge抹去mǒ qùto erase踢馆tī guǎnto challenge an established martial arts school to a fight (to prove one's skills or gain reputation); (fig.) to prove oneself by competing against those already established in a particular field
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 4 ways to say "play".
戏 xì — trick; drama; play; show
孩子们最喜欢玩捉迷藏的游戏。Hái zi men zuì xǐ huan wán zhuō mí cáng de yóu xì.The children love playing hide-and-seek.
Common words: 游戏 (yóu xì)、戏剧 (xì jù)、游戏机 (yóu xì jī)
抹 mǒ / mò — play; to smear; girdle; brassiere; to plaster
她在面包上抹了一层果酱。Tā zài miàn bāo shàng mǒ le yì céng guǒ jiàng.She spread a layer of jam on the bread.
Common words: 涂抹 (tú mǒ)、抹杀 (mǒ shā)、抹去 (mǒ qù)
踢 tī — kick; play (football or soccer)
课间，男生们在操场上踢足球。Kè jiān, nán shēng men zài cāo chǎng shàng tī zú qiú.During the break, the boys play soccer on the playground.
Common words: 踢馆 (tī guǎn)、踢爆 (tī bào)、踢腿 (tī tuǐ)
All 4 characters
Open 剧、戏、抹 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.