Definitions

(verb) to ride (a horse, bicycle etc)
(verb) to sit astride

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 骑, meaning to ride, is structured from the semantic component 马, indicating a horse, combined with the phonetic and semantic component 奇, which originally depicted a person riding a horse. This composition clearly denotes the act of mounting or sitting astride a horse, establishing its core meaning. Over time, the application of the verb broadened beyond equestrian activity to encompass riding any vehicle or animal, such as a bicycle or motorcycle. Furthermore, the character developed a nominal sense, referring to the rider or a mounted soldier, as seen in historical military terms for cavalry. The traditional form retains this identical structure, with the component 馬 simply being a more complex representation of the horse radical.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Warring States (475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我喜欢自行车。

Wǒ xǐhuān qí zìxíngchē.

I like riding a bicycle.

他每天车上学。

Tā měitiān qí chē shàngxué.

He rides a bike to school every day.

弟弟着小马玩。

Dìdi qízhe xiǎo mǎ wán.

Younger brother rides a pony to play.

妈妈电动车去买菜。

Māma qí diàndòngchē qù mǎi cài.

Mom rides an electric bike to buy groceries.

早上我自行车去公园。

Zǎoshang wǒ qí zìxíngchē qù gōngyuán.

In the morning, I ride a bicycle to the park.

我还不会马。

Wǒ hái bù huì qí mǎ.

I still can't ride a horse.

过摩托车吗?

Nǐ qíguò mótuōchē ma?

Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?

虽然下雨,但他还是车去上班了。

Suīrán xià yǔ, dàn tā háishì qí chē qù shàngbān le.

Although it was raining, he still rode a bike to work.