() — chess or any similar board game (e.g., Chinese chess, Go); a piece used in a board game

Definition

noun
chess or any similar board game (e.g., Chinese chess, Go)a piece used in a board game
Measure word ·

Examples

  • Wǒ men xià qí ba.
    Let's play a game of chess.
  • Nǐ bǎ qí zǐ fàng cuò le.
    You placed the piece in the wrong spot.
  • Tā zuì xǐ huan xià zhōng guó xiàng qí.
    He likes playing Chinese chess the most.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
wooden
Sound part声符shēngfú
Same sound today

棋 has 木 on the left, showing it was made of wood, and 其 on the right gives the sound.

Appears in

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