祁

qí

礻 + 阝

Definitions

qí (adjective) vast; large

Etymology

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

Semantic: 礻 Phonetic: 阝

About

祁 is a phono-semantic compound with the radical 礻 (spirit/altar) and the phonetic component 阝 (city/region). While the semantic connection is abstract, the phonetic element provides the pronunciation. The character’s core meaning is vast, large, or abundant, often describing extensive scale or severe conditions. In modern usage, it primarily functions as a surname and appears in place names, drawing on its sound and historical geographic associations rather than its literal sense of vastness.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

祁连山很高。

Qíliánshān hěn gāo.

The Qilian Mountains are very high.

祁县是个好地方。

Qí xiàn shì gè hǎo dìfāng.

Qi County is a good place.

我去年去了祁连山。

Wǒ qùnián qùle Qíliánshān.

I went to the Qilian Mountains last year.

祁先生是我们的老师。

Qí xiānshēng shì wǒmen de lǎoshī.

Mr. Qi is our teacher.

祁门红茶很有名。

Qímén hóngchá hěn yǒumíng.

Qimen black tea is very famous.

我们计划明年去祁阳旅行。

Wǒmen jìhuà míngnián qù Qíyáng lǚxíng.

We plan to travel to Qiyang next year.

祁剧是一种传统戏曲。

Qíjù shì yī zhǒng chuántǒng xìqǔ.

Qiju is a type of traditional opera.

在祁县，你可以看到古老的建筑。

Zài Qí xiàn, nǐ kěyǐ kàndào gǔlǎo de jiànzhú.

In Qi County, you can see ancient buildings.

Related Characters

Component: 礻

Component: 阝

祁