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祈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
祈qíto pray, to entreat, to beseechv, 8 strokes, radical 礻, rank #19948, Hard
祈qíto imploreunknown, 8 strokes, radical 礻, rank #19948, Hard
祈qíto requestunknown, 8 strokes, radical 礻, rank #19948, Hard
qí(qi2) T2
  1. 1to pray, to entreat, to beseech
  2. 2to implore
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March 24, 2026
祈qí(qi2)

The character 祈 (qí) means 'to pray' or 'to beseech.' It is commonly used in both religious and secular contexts where one may ask for help, guidance, or favor from a higher power or authority. This word conveys a sense of earnestness and humility in the act of requesting assistance.

Strokes8Radical礻Frequency#19948DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, prayer is often a communal activity, especially during festivals and important life events. The act of 祈 is not just personal but can involve family and community, reflecting the collective nature of Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person kneeling with hands clasped together in prayer, with the character 祈 appearing above them like a blessing. The radical 示 (shì) suggests 'to show' or 'to express,' connecting the act of praying to the expression of one's desires or needs.

Meanings of 祈

qí(qi2)
1to pray, to entreat, to beseech
2to implore
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 祈

祈Simplified
8Strokes
礻Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 祈

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Podcast: 祈

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AI Study Notes for 祈

Quick Contrast

祷 (dǎo) — use 祈 (qí) for a more personal or earnest request, while 祷 (dǎo) often refers to formal prayers.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person kneeling with hands clasped together in prayer, with the character 祈 appearing above them like a blessing. The radical 示 (shì) suggests 'to show' or 'to express,' connecting the act of praying to the expression of one's desires or needs.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 祈 with similar-sounding words that have different meanings, such as 期 (qī), which means 'to expect.' 祈 is often used in more formal or solemn contexts, especially in religious settings, so it is best avoided in casual conversations. Common collocations include 祈祷 (qídǎo, to pray) and 祈愿 (qíyuàn, to make a wish).

HSK Study Tips

Though 祈 is not included in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to themes of asking and hoping, which are common in Level 3 and 4 vocabulary. Students should practice its pronunciation and common phrases involving requests to strengthen their understanding.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, prayer is often a communal activity, especially during festivals and important life events. The act of 祈 is not just personal but can involve family and community, reflecting the collective nature of Chinese society.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 祈 with 期 (qī), leading to sentences like '我期好运' (Wǒ qī hǎo yùn), which is incorrect. The correct usage is '我祈求好运' (Wǒ qíqiú hǎo yùn).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 祈

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Etymology of 祈

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

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

Memory Hint

spirit

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 祈?

Decomposition of 祈

IDS Structure⿰礻斤
祈Full Character
=
礻shi4
left
斤jin1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 祈?

Write 祈

祈

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

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Grammar Patterns of 祈

祈 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 3 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.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我跪了下来，____求得到指引。

I went down on my knees and prayed for guidance.

Example Sentences for 祈 (10)

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1
我跪了下来，祈求得到指引。

wǒ guì le xià lái， ， qí qiú dé dào zhǐ。

I went down on my knees and prayed for guidance.
2
这位上校低头轻声做感恩祈祷。

zhè wèi shàng xiào dī tóu qīng shēng zuò gǎn ēn qí dǎo。

The Colonel bowed his head and whispered a prayer of thanksgiving.
3
理查德叔叔吟诵了《圣经》中的一章，又即兴作了一段祈祷文。

lǐ chá dé shū shū yín sòng le《 《 shèng》 jīng 》 zhōng de， yī zhāng ， yòu jí xīng zuò le yī duàn。

Uncle Richard intoned a chapter from the Bible and improvised a prayer.
4
我不停地祈望唱片播放师能加快音乐的节奏。

wǒ bù tíng dì qí wàng chàng piàn bō fàng shī néng jiā kuài yīn lè de jié zòu。

I kept praying that the DJ would speed the music up.
5
她去为亡夫的灵魂祈祷。

tā qù wéi wáng fū de líng hún qí dǎo。

She went to pray for the soul of her late husband.
6
舞蹈开始前会举行祈祷和鞭笞的仪式。

wǔ dǎo kāi shǐ qián huì jǔ háng qí dǎo hé biān chī de yí shì。

There is a ceremony of prayer and flagellation before the dancing begins.
7
她马上祈祷道：“上帝呀，请赐我勇气吧。”

tā mǎ shàng qí dǎo dào：“ ：“ shàng dì， yā ， qǐng cì wǒ yǒng。”

She prayed now. "Lord, help me to find courage."
8
牧师请在场的妇女们和他一起祈祷。

mù shī qǐng zài cháng de fù nǚ mén hé tā yī qǐ qí dǎo。

The pastor requested the women present to join him in prayer.
9
一名牧师照着祈祷书念祷文。

yī míng mù shī zhào zháo qí dǎo shū niàn dǎo wén。

A clergyman read the liturgy from the prayer-book.
10
在访问期间，教皇还将为新医院祈福。

zài fǎng wèn qī jiān， ， jiào huáng huán jiāng wéi xīn yī yuàn qí。

During his visit, the Pope will also bless the new hospital.

Cultural Notes for 祈

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, prayer is often a communal activity, especially during festivals and important life events. The act of 祈 is not just personal but can involve family and community, reflecting the collective nature of Chinese society.

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

While both Chinese and Western cultures value prayer, in Chinese culture, it is often more communal and ritualistic, while in many Western cultures, it can be more individualistic and spontaneous.

Word Family of 祈

Words Containing This Character6
祈祷qídǎoto pray祈禱
祈qíto pray
祈求to pray for
祈福to pray for blessings
祈望to hope
祈使句imperative sentence
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 祈祷 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 祈

You can use it in sentences like '我祈求好运' (Wǒ qíqiú hǎo yùn), meaning 'I pray for good luck.'