to begin, to initiate

JLPT N4 10 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Usage of

The character (qǐ) primarily means 'to get up' or 'to rise,' commonly used when talking about waking up or standing up. It also means 'to start' or 'to initiate,' often used in formal or scheduled events like meetings or classes. Additionally, can describe the occurrence of events, such as accidents or natural phenomena.

Common Collocations

  • 起床 (qǐchuáng): to get out of bed
  • 起飞 (qǐfēi): to take off (airplane)
  • 作用 (qǐ zuòyòng): to take effect
  • 发生 (fāshēng qǐ): to occur, to happen

Notes

When used to mean 'to get up,' often combines with (chuáng) to form 起床. For starting events, is often paired with (shǐ) as . Avoid confusing with (kāi), which also means 'to start' but is more general and used for opening or turning on devices.

Register and Tone

is neutral in tone and suitable for both spoken and written Chinese. It appears frequently in daily conversation and formal contexts.

Example Sentences

I get up at seven every morning.

The meeting will officially start at nine o'clock.

The earthquake occurred at 3 a.m.