JI

Ji is a romanization used across East Asian languages to represent several different characters, syllables, and name elements. Because it covers multiple languages and tonal values, the meaning of Ji depends on the language and the particular character involved. In Chinese, pinyin renders several distinct characters as ji, each with its own meaning and tone.

In Chinese, Ji can refer to a number of characters. Common examples include 吉 (ji, meaning lucky or auspicious), 记 (ji, meaning to remember or to record), 济 (ji, meaning to aid or to cross; also used in place names and river names), and 即 (ji, meaning immediately or at once). The pronunciation varies with tone and dialect, and different characters sharing the same pinyin are distinguished in writing by their characters rather than by tone marks alone.

In Korean, Ji (지) is a frequent given-name element and can also be a surname. Its meaning depends on the hanja used to write it, with common possibilities including 智 (wisdom) and 志 (will). The spelling in Latin letters remains Ji, though the underlying meaning changes with the chosen hanja.

In Japanese, ji corresponds to the kana じ (and related readings) and appears in many words and names. It is not typically a standalone native term but functions as a phonetic element in transliterations and native terms alike.

Overall, Ji is a versatile transliteration that appears in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese contexts as a surname, given-name element, or part of a word, with meanings tied to the specific character or hanja involved.