to abandon, to discard, to reject; to desert; to forget
vg, 7 strokes, radical 廾, rank #3954, Hard
qì(qi4) T4
1to abandon
2to relinquish
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March 24, 2026
弃(棄)qì(qi4)
The character 弃 (qì) means to abandon or discard something, implying a deliberate decision to let go of an object, idea, or responsibility. It can be used in both physical contexts, such as throwing away waste, and abstract contexts, like rejecting an idea or feeling. This character carries a sense of finality and decision in the act of letting go.
Strokes7Radical廾Frequency#3954DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of abandonment can also relate to the philosophy of letting go of material attachments, which is often discussed in the context of Buddhism and Taoism. This character may appear in discussions about personal sacrifices for greater spiritual pursuits.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person standing in front of a mountain of discarded items, deciding what to keep and what to 弃 (qì) or throw away. The left part '弓' resembles a bow, which can remind you of the act of shooting away things you no longer need. The pronunciation 'qì' sounds like 'key' with a 'q' twist, as if using a key to unlock what to abandon.
Meanings of 弃
qì(qi4)
1to abandon
2to relinquish
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 弃
弃Simplified
棄Traditional
7Strokes
廾Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#3954Frequency Rank
Podcast: 弃
Podcast: 弃
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AI Study Notes for 弃
Quick Contrast
放弃 (fàngqì, to give up) implies a more gradual or reluctant process of letting go, while 弃 (qì) suggests a more decisive act of abandonment.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person standing in front of a mountain of discarded items, deciding what to keep and what to 弃 (qì) or throw away. The left part '弓' resembles a bow, which can remind you of the act of shooting away things you no longer need. The pronunciation 'qì' sounds like 'key' with a 'q' twist, as if using a key to unlock what to abandon.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 弃 with similar characters like 丢 (diū), which also means to throw away but is typically used for lost items. 弃 is more formal and can appear in written contexts, while 丢 is more commonly used in daily conversation. Be careful with the tone; a mispronounced qì may lead to misunderstandings.
HSK Study Tips
Although 弃 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects well with HSK 3 and 4 words related to actions of giving up or letting go, such as 放弃 (fàngqì, to give up). Focus on recognizing its usage in phrases and idiomatic expressions.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of abandonment can also relate to the philosophy of letting go of material attachments, which is often discussed in the context of Buddhism and Taoism. This character may appear in discussions about personal sacrifices for greater spiritual pursuits.
Common Mistakes
Learners might incorrectly use 弃 when they actually mean to throw something away casually, leading to awkward phrasing. For example, saying '我想弃这个垃圾' instead of '我想丢这个垃圾' would be inappropriate; instead, use 丢 (diū) for casual contexts.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 弃
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Simplified form of 棄. Pictograph of two hands (廾) putting a child (子) in a basket (其) for the purpose of abandoning or disposing with it. The traditional component 其 was removed for simplification.
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Grammar Patterns of 弃
弃 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
No matter what difficulties we encounter, we must not give up.
Common Confusions with 弃
弃vs期
qī
Similar pinyin but different meaning.
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "to abandon"?
or
Example Sentences for 弃 (10)
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1
她从未放弃过探究我内心深处情感的尝试。
tā cóng wèi fàng qì guò tàn jiū wǒ nèi xīn shēn chǔ qíng gǎn de cháng shì。
She never abandoned her attempts to plumb my innermost emotions.
2
全国的核武器工厂均受到了有毒废弃物的严重污染。
quán guó de hé wǔ qì gōng chǎng jūn shòu dào le yǒu dú fèi qì wù de yán zhòng wū rǎn。
Nuclear weapons plants across the country are heavily contaminated with toxic wastes.
3
它们值得拥有，但是不能因此放弃更好的服务。
tā mén zhí dé yōng yǒu， ， dàn shì bù néng yīn cǐ fàng qì gēng hǎo de fú。
They are worth having but not at the expense of better services.
4
西班牙人担心德国投资者放弃西班牙而转向东欧。
xī bān yá rén dān xīn dé guó tóu zī zhě fàng qì xī bān yá ér zhuǎn xiàng dōng ōu。
Spaniards are worried about German investors deserting Spain for Eastern Europe.
5
这个城市恶名昭彰，它把人作践了，然后抛弃掉。
zhè gè chéng shì è míng zhāo zhāng， ， tā bǎ rén zuò jiàn， le ， rán hòu pāo。
This town is notorious for chewing people up and spitting them out.
6
世上最让人难受的莫过于小婴儿遭到遗弃。
shì shàng zuì ràng rén nán shòu de mò guò yú xiǎo yīng ér zāo dào yí qì。
The saddest thing in the world is a little baby nobody wants.
7
我还是放弃学医了，我真的不是那块料。
wǒ huán shì fàng qì xué yī le， ， wǒ zhēn de bù shì nà kuài。
I left medicine anyway. I wasn't really cut out for it.
8
她那辆租来的车被发现遗弃在比奇角。
tā nà liàng zū lái de chē bèi fā xiàn yí qì zài bǐ qí jiǎo。
Her hired car was found abandoned at Beachy Head.
9
我不想让他感到被抛弃而不快乐。
wǒ bù xiǎng ràng tā gǎn dào bèi pāo qì ér bù kuài lè。
I don't want him to feel forsaken and unhappy.
10
大家都劝他放弃，可他却很坚持。
dà jiā dū quàn tā fàng qì， ， kě tā què hěn jiān。
People tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted.
Cultural Notes for 弃
💡Did you know?
The character 弃 (qì) signifies not only physical abandonment but also the relinquishing of concepts or ideas. In Chinese culture, the notion of letting go can be seen as a form of strength, embodying the wisdom of not clinging to the past.
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of abandonment can also relate to the philosophy of letting go of material attachments, which is often discussed in the context of Buddhism and Taoism. This character may appear in discussions about personal sacrifices for greater spiritual pursuits.
Word Family of 弃
Words Containing This Character20
放弃fàngqìto renounce放棄
抛弃pāoqìto abandon拋棄
弃qìto abandon棄
弃权to forfeit棄權
遗弃yíqìto leave遺棄
废弃to discard廢棄
嫌弃xiánqìto ignore嫌棄
丢弃diūqìto discard丟棄
舍弃to give up捨棄
摒弃to abandon摒棄
背弃abandon背棄
唾弃tuòqìto spurn唾棄
自暴自弃to abandon oneself to despair自暴自棄
前功尽弃to waste all one's previous efforts (idiom)前功盡棄
背信弃义treachery背信棄義
摈弃to abandon擯棄
弃置to throw away棄置
弃婴abandoned baby棄嬰
离弃to abandon離棄
厌弃to spurn厭棄
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 放弃 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 弃
Some synonyms for 弃 include 放弃 (fàngqì), which means to give up, and 丢弃 (diūqì), meaning to throw away. These words can be used in similar contexts, but may carry slightly different connotations.
You should use 弃 when referring to the act of discarding or throwing something away, while 放弃 is more appropriate for giving up on an idea, goal, or effort. Understanding the context helps in choosing the right word.
弃 (qì) means to abandon, relinquish, discard, or throw away. It is often used in contexts where something is given up or left behind, whether physically or metaphorically.
You can use 弃 in a sentence like: '他决定弃掉无用的东西', which means 'He decided to abandon useless things.' It's commonly used to express the act of letting go of something.
You can say '我决定弃掉旧衣服' (Wǒ juédìng qì diào jiù yīfú), meaning 'I decided to discard the old clothes.'
It is more commonly found in written contexts, such as literature or formal discussions, rather than in everyday spoken language.
Yes, it can be used to indicate abandoning ideas or emotions, like '弃掉负面情绪' (qì diào fùmiàn qíngxù), meaning 'abandon negative emotions'.
