Chinese Characters

期

PINYIN

qī / jī

Main meanings:

qī
①designated time.
②issue; number; term.
③make an appointment.

jī
④completely; yearly; monthly; expect

HSK - 1

STROKES - 12

RADICAL - 月

Etymology:
Elements ---- Basket其 + moon 月. Phonetic series 其.

The time (written first with sun and now with moon月) to made sacrifices (with offerings carried in a basket 其).

Main Words:

星期 xīngqī week;
期待 qīdài look forward to; expect.
时期 shíqī period (of time).
期间 qījiān time; period; duration.
长期 chángqī long time.

Discussion and sources

The oldest pictograms show unequivocally a basket on a table or altar, and the moon around. It must be interpreted as the time, as the moon, the sun and the stars were used or reckon time in Old China. Pictograms as appear in Wei et al 2013.

Wei Li, liu Zhiji y Chen Jiang (魏励，刘志基，陈健). Dictionary of the Oracle, Bronze, Seal and Slave characters (甲金篆隶字典). The Commercial Press. Beijing. 2013Gao Jingcheng (高景成). Dictionary of the Origin of the most Common Characters. (常用字字源字典). Language Publishers. Beijing. 2013.

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