人质
Old HSK 6
人质 (rénzhì) · hostage
人质 (rénzhì) means “hostage”. It is written with 2 characters: 人 (person) + 质 (essence). It is an old HSK 6 word (HSK 2.0).
How 人质 is built
The characters
人 rén · person
What 人 is made of
人 is not built from smaller parts; it is written with 2 strokes.
Origin hint: The legs of a human being (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
质 zhì · essence
What 质 is made of
- 厂chǎng — cliff
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 贝bèi — sea shell
- 冂 — frame
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 人rén — person
- 冂 — frame
Origin hint: 贝 gives the meaning, 十 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
警察成功救出了所有人质。Jǐngchá chénggōng jiùchū le suǒyǒu rénzhì.The police successfully rescued all the hostages.
新闻报道说人质已经安全了。Xīnwén bàodào shuō rénzhì yǐjīng ānquán le.The news reported that the hostages are now safe.
Questions about 人质
What does 人质 mean?
人质 (rénzhì) means “hostage”.
How do you pronounce 人质?
人质 is pronounced rénzhì.
Which HSK level is 人质?
人质 is in Old HSK 6.
Related words
- 别人biérenother people
- 病人bìngrénpatient
- 工人gōngrénworker
- 家人jiārénfamily members
- 老人lǎorénold person
- 男人nánrénman
- 女人nǚrenwoman
- 爱人àirenhusband or wife
- 大人dàrenadult
- 好人hǎoréngood person
Learn 人质 with its group
It is part of Old HSK 6 · Group 153: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.