About
起 is a phono-semantic compound: 走 provides the meaning of movement, while 己 gives the sound. Its original sense was the physical act of rising, standing up from a seat, getting out of bed, or simply getting up. This concrete meaning of upward motion extended figuratively to indicate the start or commencement of an action, event, or process. In modern Chinese, 起 frequently serves as a complement after verbs to express an upward direction (as in lifting) or removal and extraction (as in taking something out).
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Example Sentences Hide
我早上起床。
他想起一件事。
太阳从东方升起。
我们一起学习中文。
他站起来回答问题。
这个故事起源于古代。
经济发展引起了变化。
他突然想起昨天发生的事情。
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