Character

已

yǐ HSK 2

已 yǐ HSK 2

1. to stop; to cease
2. already; indicating a past action
3. (lit.) afterwards; after a while
4. (lit.) too; excessively
5. classical variant of "以"
6. a surname

Words using 已 as yǐ (5)

1 已经 yǐ jīng — already HSK 2
- 已 already, by now
- 经 through, past (reinforcing completion)
Example

电影已经开始了。

diàn yǐng yǐ jīng kāi shǐ le

The movie has already started.
2 早已 zǎo yǐ — long ago, already HSK 5
- 早 early, long ago (time aspect)
- 已 already (completion aspect)
Example

这个问题早已解决了。

zhè ge wèn tí zǎo yǐ jiě jué le

This problem was solved long ago.
3 不已 bù yǐ — endlessly HSK 6
- 不 not (negation particle)
- 已 stop, cease
Example

她赞叹不已。

tā zàn tàn bù yǐ

She praised it endlessly.
4 不得已 bù dé yǐ — have no choice but to HSK 7
- 不 not
- 得 able to / can
- 已 stop / help it
Example

我不得已才这样做的。

wǒ bù dé yǐ cái zhè yàng zuò de

I had no choice but to do this.
5 而已 ér yǐ — that's all; nothing more; merely HSK 7
- 而 connecting particle (forms compound with 已)
- 已 stop, cease (indicates limitation)
Example

这只是个误会而已。

zhè zhǐ shì gè wù huì ér yǐ

This is just a misunderstanding, that's all.

Structure & writing

已 yǐ — to stop; to cease

已 is not used as a component in any other character.

已 is an atomic character — it does not decompose further.

Stroke order