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啟 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
啟qǐto open; to begin, to commence; to explainx, 11 strokes, radical 口
qǐ(qi3)qi T3
  1. 1to open; to begin, to commence; to explain
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March 24, 2026

啟qǐ(qi3)

The character 啟 (qǐ) means 'to open' or 'to begin something.' It is commonly used in contexts such as starting a meeting, opening a door, or commencing a process. The character also conveys the idea of explaining or enlightening someone on a topic.

Strokes11Radical口
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'opening' often symbolizes new beginnings, such as during the Lunar New Year when people open their doors to welcome good fortune. The notion of啟 also appears in traditional texts that discuss enlightenment and wisdom.

Memory tip

Imagine a key (启) that opens a door to knowledge. The character's left side (口) resembles an open mouth, which you can visualize as a person starting to speak or explain something, while the right side (奇) can remind you of something unusual or special beginning.

Meanings of 啟

qǐ(qi3)
1to open; to begin, to commence; to explain
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 啟

啟Simplified
11Strokes
口Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 啟

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Podcast: 啟

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AI study notes for 啟

Quick Contrast

启 (qǐ) vs 开 (kāi) — use 启 when emphasizing the act of beginning or enlightening, while 开 is more general for opening or starting an action.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 啟 with similar characters like 开 (kāi), which also means 'to open.' While 啟 can imply a more formal or significant opening, 开 is more casual. Be mindful of the tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 啟 is not included in the official HSK levels, it is useful for learners reaching HSK 4 and beyond, as it appears in phrases related to beginning processes or discussions. Focus on its applications in formal contexts and with compound words.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 啟 in casual contexts where 开 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '啟门' (qǐmén) for 'open the door' sounds overly formal; use '开门' (kāimén) instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 啟

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Etymology of 啟

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

To knock 攵 on a door 启; 启 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 啟?

Decomposition of 啟

IDS Structure⿰启攵
啟Full character
=
启Qi3
left
攵pu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 啟?

How to say to open; to begin, to commence; to explain in Chinese

“to open; to begin, to commence; to explain” in Chinese is啟qǐ

The character 啟 (qǐ) means 'to open' or 'to begin something.' It is commonly used in contexts such as starting a meeting, opening a door, or commencing a process. The character also conveys the idea of explaining or enlightening someone on a topic.

When to use 啟

Learners often confuse 啟 with similar characters like 开 (kāi), which also means 'to open.' While 啟 can imply a more formal or significant opening, 开 is more casual. Be mindful of the tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to misunderstandings.

啟 or something close to it

启 (qǐ) vs 开 (kāi) — use 启 when emphasizing the act of beginning or enlightening, while 开 is more general for opening or starting an action.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 啟 in casual contexts where 开 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '啟门' (qǐmén) for 'open the door' sounds overly formal; use '开门' (kāimén) instead.

Write 啟

啟

Practice writing 啟 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 啟

Words containing this character20
启动qǐdòngto start (a machine)啟動
开启kāiqǐto open開啟
启发qǐfāto enlighten啟發
启Qǐto open啟
启示qǐshìto reveal啟示
启用qǐyòngto start using啟用
启程qǐchéngto set out on a journey啟程
启蒙qǐméngto initiate啟蒙
启事qǐshìa notice啟事
难以启齿nányǐqǐchǐto find it hard to speak about sth難以啟齒
启迪qǐdíto edify啟迪
启示录qǐshìlùthe Apocalypse啟示錄
启航qǐháng(of a ship) to set sail啟航
启齿qǐchǐto open one's mouth啟齒
梁启超liángqǐchāoLiang Qichao (1873-1929), influential journalist and a leader of the failed reform movement of 1898梁啟超
启动子qǐdòngzipromoter啟動子
启明qǐmíngClassical Chinese name for planet Venus in the east before dawn啟明
承前启后chéngqiánqǐhòuforming a bridge between earlier and later stages承前啟後
启东qǐdōngQidong county level city in Nantong 南通[Nán​tōng], Jiangsu啟東
启发式qǐfāshìheuristic啟發式
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 啟

What does 启动 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 啟

You can say '啟動會議' (qǐdòng huìyì) which means 'to commence the meeting.'

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