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契机 (qì jī) — critical opportunity; turning point; juncture

Definition

契机 stresses the right moment for action or change — closer to 'turning point' than to a general 机遇. Use it when something triggers a shift, not just any chance.

noun
critical opportunityturning pointjuncture

Examples

  • 契机。
    Zhè cì jīng jì gǎi gé shì fā zhǎn de guān jiàn qì jī.
    This economic reform is a critical opportunity for development.
  • 契机，。
    Wǒ men yào zhuā zhù zhè ge qì jī, tí shēng gōng sī jìng zhēng lì.
    We must seize this turning point to enhance the company's competitiveness.
  • 契机。
    Zhè chǎng wēi jī fǎn ér chéng le chuàng xīn de qì jī.
    This crisis instead became a juncture for innovation.

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.

契qìfitting
机jīkey point

契 and 机 together point to a fitting key moment.

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
大大dàperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
㓞
㓞㓞契qì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

契 pairs 大 (person) with 㓞, which means 'to engrave,' showing a person making an agreement or carving something with a knife.

Open 契 →

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
木木mùtree; wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
几
几jǐ机jī
Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Open 机 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

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