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起步 (qǐ bù) — (of a vehicle) to start moving; to pull away; (of a career, project, etc.) to start; to begin

Definition

起步 stresses the very first move forward from a standstill — a vehicle pulling away, or a venture/endeavor at its initial stage. Use 启动 for starting machines or programs, and 启程 specifically for departing on a journey.

verb
(of a vehicle) to start movingto pull away(of a career, project, etc.) to startto begin

Examples

  • 起步。
    Qì chē zài lǜ dēng liàng hòu qǐ bù le.
    The car started moving after the green light came on.
  • 起步，。
    Tā de gōng sī gāng qǐ bù, xū yào hěn duō zhī chí.
    His company just started and needs a lot of support.
  • ，起步。
    Xué yì mén xīn yǔ yán, qǐ bù jiē duàn zuì guān jiàn.
    When learning a new language, the starting stage is the most critical.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

起qǐstart
步bùstep

起 means start and 步 means step, so it describes beginning to move.

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
走走zǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì起qǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Open 起 →

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

步 uses two 止 (foot) forms, one reversed, to show one foot stepping in front of the other.

Open 步 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Change & Process

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