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祁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
to pray; numerous, ample, abundantns, 6 strokes, radical 礻, Very Hard
surname Qiunknown, 6 strokes, radical 礻, Very Hard
vastunknown, 6 strokes, radical 礻, Very Hard
(Qi2) T2
  1. 1to pray; numerous, ample, abundant
  2. 2vast
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(Qi2)

The character 祁 (qí) primarily means to pray or to beseech, often in a spiritual context. It can also describe a state of abundance or vastness, and it is used as a surname in Chinese culture. In everyday usage, it may refer to things that are plentiful or extensive in nature.

Strokes6RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

祁 can be linked to traditional Chinese practices of prayer and offerings, especially in rural areas where people pray for good harvests. This character is often associated with ancient customs that reflect the agrarian roots of Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Think of 祁 as representing someone on their knees in prayer (the radical 禾 can remind you of offerings), surrounded by endless fields of grain, symbolizing abundance and vastness. The pronunciation 'qí' can be remembered by associating it with 'key,' as if prayer is the key to a bountiful life.

Meanings of 祁

(Qi2)
1to pray; numerous, ample, abundant
2vast
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 祁

Simplified
6Strokes
Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 祁

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AI Study Notes for 祁

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 祁 as representing someone on their knees in prayer (the radical 禾 can remind you of offerings), surrounded by endless fields of grain, symbolizing abundance and vastness. The pronunciation 'qí' can be remembered by associating it with 'key,' as if prayer is the key to a bountiful life.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 祁 with similar-sounding characters, so it's important to practice proper pronunciation and context. It is typically used in a more formal or literary context when referring to abundance. Be cautious of the tone, as a mispronunciation can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

Although 祁 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects with vocabulary related to spirituality and nature, which may be covered in higher levels. Focus on recognizing the radical components and practicing its pronunciation to distinguish it from other similar characters.

Cultural Note

祁 can be linked to traditional Chinese practices of prayer and offerings, especially in rural areas where people pray for good harvests. This character is often associated with ancient customs that reflect the agrarian roots of Chinese society.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 祁 as 'qī' or 'qǐ', which can lead to confusion with other characters. Always remember it is 'qí' with a rising tone. Additionally, some may use it interchangeably with characters that have different meanings, which can result in misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 祁

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Etymology of 祁

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 礻 represents the meaning and 阝 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

spirit

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 祁?

Decomposition of 祁

IDS Structure⿰礻阝
Full Character
=
shi4
left
yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 祁?

Write 祁

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

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Cultural Notes for 祁

🏮Cultural insight

祁 can be linked to traditional Chinese practices of prayer and offerings, especially in rural areas where people pray for good harvests. This character is often associated with ancient customs that reflect the agrarian roots of Chinese society.

Word Family of 祁

Words Containing This Character15
large
祁连山Mt Qilian in Qinhai祁連山
祁连Qilian county in Haibei Tibetan autonomous prefecture 海北藏族自治州[Hǎi​běi​Zàng​zú​zì​zhì​zhōu], Qinghai祁連
祁县Qixian county in Jinzhong 晉中|晋中[Jìn​zhōng], Shanxi祁縣
祁门Qimen county in Huangshan 黃山|黄山[Huáng​shān], Anhui祁門
祁阳Qinyang county in Yongzhou 永州[Yǒng​zhōu], Hunan祁陽
祁东Qidong county in Hengyang 衡陽|衡阳[Héng​yáng], Hunan祁東
祁门县Qimen county in Huangshan 黃山|黄山[Huáng​shān], Anhui祁門縣
祁东县Qidong county in Hengyang 衡陽|衡阳[Héng​yáng], Hunan祁東縣
朱祁镇Zhu Qizhen, personal name of sixth and eighth Ming emperor Zhengtong 正統|正统[Zhèng​tǒng], afterwards Tianshun Emperor 天順|天顺[Tiān​shùn] (1427-1464), reigned 1435-1449 and 1457-1464朱祁鎮
祁阳县Qinyang county in Yongzhou 永州[Yǒng​zhōu], Hunan祁陽縣
宋祁Song Qi (998-1061), Song dynasty poet and writer, coauthor of History of the Later Tang Dynasty 新唐書|新唐书
朱祁钰Zhu Qiyu, personal name of seventh Ming emperor Jingtai 景泰[Jǐng​tài] (1428-1457), reigned 1449-1457朱祁鈺
祁连县Qilian county in Haibei Tibetan autonomous prefecture 海北藏族自治州[Hǎi​běi​Zàng​zú​zì​zhì​zhōu], Qinghai祁連縣
祁连山脉Qilian Mountains (formerly Richthofen Range), dividing Qinghai and Gansu provinces祁連山脈
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 祁 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 祁

In everyday conversation, 祁 may not be commonly used, but it can refer to praying for something or describing a plentiful situation.