泣

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to sob

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

氵 meaning “water” + 立 sound ( lì )

Components 氵立

weep · Heisig RSH #445

立 standing up + 水 water + vase

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
泣不成声	qì bù chéng shēng	(idiom) unable to speak through tears; sobbing uncontrollably
牛衣对泣	niú yī duì qì	couple living in destitute misery (idiom)
可歌可泣	kě gē kě qì	lit. you can sing or you can cry (idiom); fig. deeply moving; happy and sad; inspiring and…
喜极而泣	xǐ jí ér qì	crying tears of joy (idiom)
如泣如诉	rú qì rú sù	(lit.) as if weeping and complaining (idiom); (fig.) (of music, singing etc) mournful
如诉如泣	rú sù rú qì	see 如泣如訴\|如泣如诉[ru2 qi4 ru2 su4]
掩面而泣	yǎn miàn ér qì	to bury one's head in one's hands and weep (idiom)
向隅而泣	xiàng yú ér qì	(idiom) to weep in solitude
抽泣	chōu qì	to sob spasmodically
饮泣	yǐn qì	(literary) to weep in silence
哀泣	āi qì	to wail
垂泣	chuí qì	to shed tears
悲泣	bēi qì	to weep with grief
哭泣	kū qì	to weep
涕泣	tì qì	to weep; to shed tears
泣谏	qì jiàn	to counsel a superior in tears indicating absolute sincerity
啜泣	chuò qì	to sob

Characters sharing the sound component 立 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
立 sound part	lì	to stand; to establish, to set up
拉	lā	to pull, to drag; to seize, to hold; to lengthen; to play (a violin)
粒	lì	grain, granule; bullet, pellet
垃	lā	garbage, refuse, trash, waste
飒	sà	bleak; melancholy; the howl of the wind
昱	yù	bright, dazzling; sunlight
笠	lì	bamboo hat; bamboo covering
翊	yì	flying; to assist, to help; to respect