When is 系 pronounced xì/xi and when is it pronounced jì？

Question

A commonly used phrase is 没关系 (méiguānxi) which means "it doesn't matter"; it's used respond to 谢谢 (thank you) and 对不起 (sorry).

I found in this question that 系 can also be pronounced jì, as in 系好安全带 (jìhǎo ānquándài) meaning "fasten your seatbelt".

This means 系 is a 多音字 (duō yīnzì) or a heteronym (multiple pronunciation word).

Question: When is 系 pronounced xì/xi and when is it pronounced jì？

Doing a bit of Googling, I find:

• 中文系 = Zhōngwén xì (Chinese department)
• 太阳系 = tài yáng xì (solar system)
• 系统 = xì tǒng (system)
• 联系 = lián xì (to contact)

It looks like xì/xi is the default pronunciation. I didn't find much with jì, except possibly 系好鞋带 (jìhǎo xiédài) = "tie your shoes".

Answer 1

[系] is a traditional character as well as the simplified form for both [繫] and [係]

没关系 = 沒關係

中文系 = 中文系

系统 = 系統

联系 = 聯繫

http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/2831/

系

Pinyin: xi4

[1] system; series; set

[2] department; faculty

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http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/2881/

繫

Pinyin: xi4 | ji4

[1] tie; connect; fasten; bind up

[2] relate to; bear on; depend on

[3] be concerned; miss; bind to

[粵] hai6 | [國] ji4

button up; wear; knot

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http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/601/

係

Pinyin: xi4

[1] [粵] [v] to be; is; are

[2] [粵] yes, it is; indeed; right; positive

[3] [n] relation; relationship; consequence

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Question: When is 系 pronounced xì/xi and when is it pronounced jì？

• 系 is pronounced /xi4/ when it is a traditional character (no difference in simplified form ), and means: system; department

• 系 is pronounced /xi4/ when it is the simplified form of 係, and means: relation; relationship; consequence

• 系 is pronounced /ji4/ when it is the simplified form of 繫, and means: button up; wear; knot

Answer 2

I think you already got it.

Most of time, it's pronounced as xì/xi 系. When pronounced as（jì）, it means 'fasten' and 'tie'. 系安全带. and 系鞋带. are good examples.

Answer 3

1. 系:This is a multiple pronunciation word.
2. 系[xì] 系统；世系。谱系；直系亲属。 某些学科中分类的名称。汉藏语系；印欧语系。 高等学校按专业性质设置的教学行政单位。数学系；历史系。 地质学名词。地层系统分类的第二级，小于界，相当于地质年代的纪。 姓。System;Lineage.Spectrum;Immediate family.The names of categories in certain subjects. Sino-tibetan language family; Indo-european. The teaching administrative unit of higher education is set according to the professional nature.Department of mathematics;The history department.Geological terms.The second level of stratigraphic system classification is less than the boundary, which is equivalent to the period of geological time.Last name.
3. 系[xì]是。联缀，涉及，关系。挂念，牵记。[xì] is.Affix, involving, relation.Hang up, worry。
4. 系[jì]打结或扣上。Tie [ji] knots or buckles.