期满 (qī mǎn) — to expire; to run out (of a term, period, or contract)

Definition

期满 is a formal verb meaning a fixed term, contract, or period has reached its end. Use it for visas, leases, and official terms — not for casual time passing.

verb
to expireto run out (of a term, period, or contract)

Examples

  • 期满。
    Wǒ de qiān zhèng xià ge yuè qī mǎn.
    My visa expires next month.
  • 期满，。
    Zū yuē yǐ jīng qī mǎn, xū yào xù qiān.
    The lease has already expired and needs to be renewed.
  • 期满，。
    Měi dāng tā rèn qī qī mǎn, jiù huì chóng xīn jìng xuǎn.
    Whenever his term ends, he runs for election again.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

期qīterm
满mǎnfull

期 names the term, and 满 says it is full, so the period has expired.

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
日日rì
Sound part声符shēngfú
其
其qí期qī
Same sound today

The original form paired 其 for its sound with 日 (sun). A related form changed that sun to 月, and this later developed into 期.

Open 期 →

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 滿; 满 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㒼
㒼㒼滿mǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 滿 pairs 水, showing water, with 㒼, giving the sound. The simplified 满 is a later shorthand, not the original shape.

Open 满 →

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