闙 (qǐ) - To open & to begin

闙Tone 3

qǐ ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

七器

闙 · qǐ

To open;

to begin;

to start;

to initiate.

An archaic variant of 啟 (qǐ).

To opento beginto start

Usage highlights

to open a doorto begin a ceremonyto initiate an actionto start a journeyto commence operations

Synonyms

  • 啟— to open; to start; to enlighten
  • 開— to open; to begin
  • 始— to begin; to start

Antonyms

  • 閉— to close; to shut
  • 終— to end; to finish
  • 結— to conclude; to end

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ceremony will begin (闙) at dawn.
  • He opened (闙) the ancient scroll carefully.
  • This marks the start (闙) of a new era.

Collocations

  • to open a door(闙门)
  • to begin a ceremony(闙典)
  • to initiate an action(闙动)
  • to start a journey(闙程)
  • to commence operations(闙业)

Idioms

  • To open up new territory(闙土拓疆)
  • To initiate a grand undertaking(闙业宏图)
  • To begin writing a book(闙卷著述)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 闙 is an archaic character that was used in classical Chinese texts.
  • It functions as a variant of the more common character 啟 (qǐ), meaning 'to open' or 'to begin'.
  • The character appears in historical documents and literary works from various dynastic periods.

FAQ