TongTong
Sign in

志气 (zhì qì) — lofty aspirations and moral backbone; ambition and determination

Definition

志气 is moral ambition in action — the drive to aim high and persevere, often against hardship. Compare 意志 (inner willpower) and 骨气 (integrity under pressure): 志气 combines both the goal and the grit to reach it.

noun
lofty aspirations and moral backboneambition and determination

Examples

  • 志气，。
    Tā píng zhe zì jǐ de zhì qì, kǎo shàng le zuì hǎo de dà xué.
    Relying on his aspiration and determination, he got into the best university.
  • 志气，。
    Yí gè rén rú guǒ méi yǒu zhì qì, jiù hěn nán zuò chéng dà shì.
    A person without ambition and grit will find it hard to accomplish great things.
  • 志气，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù hěn yǒu zhì qì, yù dào kùn nan cóng bú fàng qì.
    Since childhood she has had great determination, never giving up when facing difficulties.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

志zhìaspiration
气qìspirit

志 aspiration and 气 spirit give ambition and resolve.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī志zhì
Same sound today

志 has 心, the heart, below and a simplified top from 之 for sound.

Open 志 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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