启程 (qǐ chéng) — to set out on a journey, to depart | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary/formal 'to set out on a journey,' used in writing or announcements. 出发 is the everyday spoken equivalent; 离开 is more general ('to leave' anywhere).

verb

to set out on a journeyto depart

Easily confused

起程qǐ chéngsound-aliketo set out; to depart (on a journey)

Examples

启程。
Wǒ men míng tiān zǎo shàng bā diǎn qǐ chéng.
We set out at eight o'clock tomorrow morning.
启程。
qǐ chéng Zhī qián yí dìng yào dài hǎo hù zhào.
Be sure to bring your passport before departing.
启程，。
Tā cōng cōng qǐ chéng, lián xíng li dōu méi ná.
He set off in such a hurry that he didn't even take his luggage.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

程chéngjourney

启 means start and 程 means journey, so it describes setting out.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 啟; 启 is its simplified writing.

戶戶hùdoor
又又yòuhand

For 启, the traditional form 啟 comes from an earlier shape with 戶 (door) and 又 (hand), showing a hand opening a door.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

禾呈程

Meaning part形符xíngfú

禾禾hégrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

呈

呈chéng程chéng

Same sound today

程 is made from 禾 (grain) and 呈 (pronounced chéng); the evidence gives measurements.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Travel & Tourism

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.