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气功 (qì gōng) — qigong, a traditional Chinese system of deep-breathing exercises, meditation, and slow movements

Definition

Qigong (气功) is a traditional Chinese practice of slow movement, breath control, and meditation used to cultivate and circulate the body's qi for health.

noun
qigong, a traditional Chinese system of deep-breathing exercises, meditation, and slow movements

Examples

  • 气功。
    Tā měi tiān zǎo shàng zài gōng yuán lǐ liàn qì gōng.
    He practices qigong in the park every morning.
  • 气功。
    Xué qì gōng xū yào nài xīn hé jiān chí.
    Learning qigong requires patience and persistence.
  • 气功。
    Yī shēng jiàn yì tā tōng guò qì gōng lái gǎi shàn shēn tǐ.
    The doctor suggested she improve her health through qigong.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

气qìvital breath
功gōngtrained skill

气 is vital breath and 功 is trained skill, together naming a qigong practice.

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.

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 →

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
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng功gōng
Same sound today

功 puts 力 (strength) beside 工, which gives the sound gōng and means labour or work.

Open 功 →
Appears in
HSK 2.0 Level 6

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