克西
kèxī
The English term xi is translated into Chinese as 克西 (kèxī). Wiktionary also lists 克希 (kèxī) and 可塞 (kěsài).
Meaning: Greek letter (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 克西 | kèxī |
| 克希 | kèxī |
| 可塞 | kěsài |
Which one should you use?
克西 and 克希 both use the same romanization (kèxī). 可塞 (kěsài) is another transliteration.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is kèxī.
Did you know?
- The character 克 (kè) in 克西 is the same character used to write 'gram' as a unit of weight, which was borrowed from the English word 'gram'.
- While 克西 is a phonetic loan, the character 西 (xī) is also used in the Chinese word for 'Spain', 西班牙 (Xībānyá), because of its similar sound to the 'S' or 'X' sounds in European languages.
- The variant 可塞 (kěsài) uses characters that suggest 'can/may' and 'to block', illustrating how phonetic transliteration can create entirely different semantic imagery.
Examples in context
- 这个字母是克西。zhège zìmǔ shì kèxī.This letter is xi.
- 你会写克西吗？nǐ huì xiě kèxī ma?Do you know how to write xi?
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a math problem in the library.
- 梓涵 Zihan伟，这个字母是克西吗？Wěi, zhège zìmǔ shì kèxī ma?Wei, is this letter xi?
- 伟 Wei对，梓涵，这就是克西。Duì, Zǐhán, zhè jiùshì kèxī.Yes, Zihan, this is xi.
- 梓涵 Zihan我把它和别的字母搞混了。Wǒ bǎ tā hé bié de zìmǔ gǎo hùn le.I got it mixed up with another letter.
- 伟 Wei没关系，多看几次就记住了。Méi guānxì, duō kàn jǐ cì jiù jì zhù le.It's okay, you'll remember it after seeing it a few more times.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “xi” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
