About
The character for "to open", now written as 开 in its simplified form, originated from a more pictographic traditional variant, 開. This traditional form graphically depicted two hands removing a bolt or bar from a gate, a composition that directly illustrated the core action of unfastening or unlocking. Over centuries, its application broadened significantly from this concrete physical act to encompass a wide range of abstract and metaphorical uses, including to start, to operate, to initiate, or to turn on. The modern simplified form 开 is a streamlined retention of the central component from that older pictograph, focusing on the idea of the removed barrier itself, which continues to effectively convey the fundamental concept of initiation or access.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我开车去上班。
请开门让我进去。
学校明天开始放假。
春天来了，花儿都开了。
他开发了一个新的软件。
如果你不开心，可以跟我说。
改革开放政策促进了经济发展。
在会议上，他公开提出了自己的观点。