still, stiff, motionless

JLPT N5 15 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Meaning and Usage

The character primarily describes a state of stiffness or rigidity, often physical but also metaphorical, such as a deadlock in negotiations. It conveys the idea of being unable to move or change easily.

Common Contexts

  • Physical stiffness: describing body parts or objects that have become hard or immobile.
  • Metaphorical deadlock: used to describe situations where progress is halted due to opposing forces or unwillingness to compromise.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 僵硬 (jiāngyìng): stiff, rigid; often used for body parts or expressions.
  • (jiāngchí): to be deadlocked, to hold a stalemate; common in political or negotiation contexts.

Usage Notes

When using , it often implies a negative or uncomfortable state. For physical stiffness, it can describe muscles or limbs after inactivity or cold. For metaphorical use, it highlights a lack of flexibility or movement in discussions or relationships.

Avoid confusing with similar words like (yìng), which means hard but not necessarily immobile or stiff in the same way.

Example Sentences

His face became stiff because of the cold.

The meeting atmosphere was deadlocked; neither side was willing to concede.

His body became stiff from not moving for a long time.