氣 (qì) - Qi — vital energy, breath, air, gas & spirit, vigor, atmosphere

氣Tone 4

qì ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

七器

氣 · qì

Qi — vital energy, breath, air, gas;

spirit, vigor, atmosphere;

anger, temper;

weather.

Qi — vital energy, breath, air, gasspirit, vigor, atmosphereanger, temper

Usage highlights

airweatherenergyangercouragespirit

Synonyms

  • 元气— primordial energy, vitality
  • 精气— essential energy, vital essence
  • 气息— breath, aura

Antonyms

  • 滞— stagnation, blockage (opposite of flowing qi)
  • 郁— depression, stagnation (opposite of free-flowing qi)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The air is fresh today (空气新鲜).
  • He has great energy (他很有气).
  • Don't be angry (别生气).
  • The weather is changing (天气在变化).

Collocations

  • air(空气)
  • weather(天气)
  • energy(气力)
  • anger(生气)
  • courage(勇气)
  • spirit(精神气)

Idioms

  • Full of vigor and vitality(朝气蓬勃)
  • Breathing the same air(同气连枝)
  • Angry enough to kill someone(气杀我也)
  • Spirit soaring and heart refreshed(神清气爽)
  • Breath like a rainbow(气贯长虹)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Central concept in traditional Chinese medicine and philosophy, representing the vital force flowing through all living things.
  • In Daoist thought, qi is the fundamental energy of the universe that circulates through meridians in the body.
  • The character originally depicted steam rising from cooking rice, representing vapor and breath.

FAQ