This list brings together 65 Chinese words that start with “Qi,” ranging from “Qì” to “Qiútóngcúnyì.” These entries span everyday vocabulary, cultural concepts, and four-character idioms, covering how people talk, eat, travel, and think in daily life. You’ll find them useful whether you’re building basic speaking skills or exploring the ideas behind Mandarin culture.
Chinese words are units of meaning built from one or more characters, each carrying its own sound, tone, and often a visual clue to its meaning. Many words here, like “Qì” (energy or life force), reflect concepts central to Chinese philosophy and medicine with no single English equivalent. Others, such as “Qiǎokèlì” (chocolate), show how Mandarin borrows and reshapes foreign words to fit its own sounds.
Below you’ll find the table with the word, English translation, Mandarin spelling, example usage, and description for each entry.
Word: The romanized pinyin form of each Chinese word, showing you how to pronounce it and spot its tone marks at a glance.
English Translation: A short, plain-language meaning for each word, helping you quickly grasp what it represents without needing a dictionary.
Mandarin Spelling: The original Chinese characters for each word, useful for reading, writing, or recognizing the term in real-world text.
Example Usage: A sample sentence showing the word in context, paired with an English translation, so you can see how it’s actually used.
Description: A short explanation of the word’s background, cultural relevance, or nuance, giving you a fuller picture beyond the basic translation.
Chinese words
| Word | English Translation | Mandarin Spelling | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qì | energy, life force | 气 | 他的气很足 (His qi/energy is strong) |
| Qìgōng | qigong (breathing exercise) | 气功 | 她每天早上练气功 (She practices qigong every morning) |
| Qípáo | qipao (fitted dress) | 旗袍 | 她穿着一件红色旗袍 (She wore a red qipao) |
| Qín | stringed instrument | 琴 | 他会弹古琴 (He can play the guqin) |
| Qǐng | please | 请 | 请坐 (Please sit) |
| Qù | to go | 去 | 我要去北京 (I want to go to Beijing) |
| Qián | money | 钱 | 你有多少钱? (How much money do you have?) |
| Qiáo | bridge | 桥 | 这座桥很长 (This bridge is very long) |
| Què | sparrow | 雀 | 一只麻雀飞过 (A sparrow flew by) |
| Quán | fist / boxing | 拳 | 他练太极拳 (He practices tai chi boxing) |
| Qiú | ball | 球 | 我们去打球吧 (Let’s go play ball) |
| Qī | seven | 七 | 七点见 (See you at seven) |
| Qīngcháo | Qing dynasty | 清朝 | 清朝建立于1644年 (The Qing dynasty was founded in 1644) |
| Qīngmíngjié | Tomb-Sweeping Festival | 清明节 | 清明节我们去扫墓 (During Qingming we visit the graves) |
| Qīngcài | leafy green vegetable | 青菜 | 妈妈买了一些青菜 (Mom bought some greens) |
| Qízi | chess piece | 棋子 | 把棋子放好 (Put the chess pieces down) |
| Qìchē | car | 汽车 | 他买了一辆新汽车 (He bought a new car) |
| Qīzi | wife | 妻子 | 他的妻子是老师 (His wife is a teacher) |
| Qīn’ài | dear, beloved | 亲爱 | 亲爱的朋友们 (Dear friends) |
| Qiáng | strong | 强 | 他身体很强 (He is physically strong) |
| Qiáng (wall) | wall | 墙 | 墙上挂着一幅画 (A painting hangs on the wall) |
| Quē | to lack | 缺 | 我们缺人手 (We’re short of hands/staff) |
| Qiū | autumn | 秋 | 秋天的树叶变黄了 (Autumn leaves turn yellow) |
| Quán | whole, entire | 全 | 全家人都来了 (The whole family came) |
| Quánlì | rights | 权利 | 每个人都有受教育的权利 (Everyone has the right to education) |
| Qíngrén | lover | 情人 | 他们是多年的情人 (They have been lovers for years) |
| Qìngzhù | to celebrate | 庆祝 | 我们庆祝他的生日 (We celebrated his birthday) |
| Qímiào | wonderful, marvelous | 奇妙 | 大自然真奇妙 (Nature is truly wonderful) |
| Qíguài | strange, odd | 奇怪 | 这件事很奇怪 (This is a strange matter) |
| Qí | board game / chess | 棋 | 你会下棋吗? (Can you play chess?) |
| Qīngwā | frog | 青蛙 | 池塘里有青蛙 (There are frogs in the pond) |
| Qiǎokèlì | chocolate | 巧克力 | 我喜欢吃巧克力 (I like eating chocolate) |
| Qínláo | hardworking, diligent | 勤劳 | 她是一个勤劳的人 (She is a hardworking person) |
| Qī (lacquer) | lacquer | 漆 | 这个盒子上了红漆 (This box is coated in red lacquer) |
| Qìhòu | climate | 气候 | 这里的气候很湿润 (The climate here is humid) |
| Qìwèi | smell, odor | 气味 | 厨房有奇怪的气味 (There’s a strange smell in the kitchen) |
| Qǐyè | enterprise, company | 企业 | 这是一家大企业 (This is a large enterprise) |
| Qǐfēi | to take off (flight) | 起飞 | 飞机准时起飞 (The plane took off on time) |
| Qǐchuáng | to get up (from bed) | 起床 | 我每天七点起床 (I get up at seven every day) |
| Qiānbǐ | pencil | 铅笔 | 请用铅笔写字 (Please write with a pencil) |
| Qiánmiàn | in front, ahead | 前面 | 前面有一家商店 (There’s a shop ahead) |
| Quánbù | all, entirety | 全部 | 全部人都同意了 (Everyone agreed) |
| Quánshuǐ | spring water | 泉水 | 这瓶是天然泉水 (This bottle is natural spring water) |
| Qúnzi | skirt | 裙子 | 她穿了一条蓝裙子 (She wore a blue skirt) |
| Qízhì | flag, banner | 旗帜 | 广场上挂着旗帜 (Flags are hung in the square) |
| Qìqiú | balloon | 气球 | 孩子们放飞了气球 (The children released balloons) |
| Qīngtíng | dragonfly | 蜻蜓 | 蜻蜓在水面上飞 (The dragonfly flies over the water) |
| Qiánbāo | wallet | 钱包 | 我把钱包忘在家里了 (I forgot my wallet at home) |
| Qīnqi | relatives | 亲戚 | 过年时亲戚都来了 (Relatives all came for New Year) |
| Qīwàng | expectation, hope | 期望 | 父母对他期望很高 (His parents have high expectations of him) |
| Qīxiàn | deadline | 期限 | 申请期限是周五 (The application deadline is Friday) |
| Qǐshì | revelation, insight | 启示 | 这个故事给我们启示 (This story gives us insight) |
| Qìshuǐ | soda, soft drink | 汽水 | 他买了一瓶汽水 (He bought a bottle of soda) |
| Qǐngwèn | excuse me, may I ask | 请问 | 请问洗手间在哪里? (Excuse me, where is the restroom?) |
| Qǐngkè | to treat someone | 请客 | 今天我请客 (I’m treating today) |
| Qīngchu | clear, clearly understood | 清楚 | 他说得很清楚 (He explained it clearly) |
| Qīngsōng | relaxed, easy | 轻松 | 周末让人感觉很轻松 (Weekends feel relaxing) |
| Qīngnián | youth, young person | 青年 | 他是一个有为的青年 (He is a promising young man) |
| Qiǎohé | coincidence | 巧合 | 这真是一个巧合 (This is truly a coincidence) |
| Quèdìng | to confirm, certain | 确定 | 请确定你的地址 (Please confirm your address) |
| Qiánkūn | heaven and earth, the universe | 乾坤 | 扭转乾坤 (turn the tables / change the universe’s course) |
| Qiānbiànwànhuà | ever-changing, constantly changing | 千变万化 | 世事千变万化 (The world is ever-changing) |
| Qiānjūnwànmǎ | a mighty army | 千军万马 | 他面对千军万马毫不畏惧 (He faced a mighty army without fear) |
| Qíxīnxiélì | work together with one mind | 齐心协力 | 大家齐心协力完成了任务 (Everyone worked together to finish the task) |
| Qiútóngcúnyì | seek common ground, reserve differences | 求同存异 | 双方求同存异,达成协议 (Both sides sought common ground and reached an agreement) |
Descriptions
Qì
A core concept in Chinese philosophy and medicine referring to the vital life force believed to flow through the body.
Qìgōng
A traditional practice combining slow movement, breathing, and meditation to cultivate and balance qi.
Qípáo
A close-fitting, high-collared traditional dress for women that became popular in 1920s Shanghai.
Qín
A general term for stringed instruments in Chinese music, most famously the ancient seven-string guqin.
Qǐng
A polite word placed before a request or invitation, equivalent to “please” in English.
Qù
A common verb meaning to go or head toward a place, used constantly in everyday speech.
Qián
The everyday word for money or currency in Mandarin.
Qiáo
The standard word for a bridge, a structure that spans a river, road, or gap.
Què
A small, common bird; the character often appears in compounds like 麻雀 (house sparrow).
Quán
Refers to a closed fist and, by extension, to fist-based martial arts styles such as taijiquan.
Qiú
The general word for a ball, used in sports terms like 篮球 (basketball) and 足球 (soccer).
Qī
The Mandarin number seven, used in counting, dates, and time.
Qīngcháo
China’s last imperial dynasty, ruled by the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan from 1644 to 1912.
Qīngmíngjié
A spring festival when families visit ancestral graves to clean them and pay respects.
Qīngcài
A general term for common leafy green vegetables such as bok choy, often stir-fried.
Qízi
A playing piece used in board games like Chinese chess (xiangqi) or go.
Qìchē
The standard Mandarin word for an automobile.
Qīzi
The formal word for one’s wife in a marriage.
Qīn’ài
A warm term of endearment used to address someone close, like “dear” or “beloved.”
Qiáng
An adjective describing strength, power, or intensity.
Qiáng (wall)
The standard word for a wall that encloses or divides a space.
Quē
A verb meaning to lack, be missing, or fall short of something needed.
Qiū
The word for the autumn or fall season, one of the four seasons.
Quán
An adjective meaning whole, complete, or entire, as in 全部 (all) or 全家 (whole family).
Quánlì
Legal or moral entitlements that a person is guaranteed, such as civil or human rights.
Qíngrén
A romantic partner, often used for a boyfriend or girlfriend rather than a spouse.
Qìngzhù
A verb meaning to celebrate an occasion, achievement, or holiday.
Qímiào
An adjective describing something delightfully strange, magical, or marvelous.
Qíguài
A common adjective used to describe something unusual, puzzling, or odd.
Qí
A general term for strategy board games, including xiangqi (Chinese chess) and weiqi (go).
Qīngwā
The common word for a frog, a small amphibian often found near water.
Qiǎokèlì
A phonetic loanword for chocolate, the sweet confection made from cacao.
Qínláo
An adjective praising someone for being industrious and willing to work hard.
Qī (lacquer)
A protective and decorative coating, traditionally made from tree sap, used on furniture and crafts.
Qìhòu
The general weather pattern of a region over a long period of time.
Qìwèi
A noun referring to a smell or odor, which can be pleasant or unpleasant.
Qǐyè
A business organization or company, especially one of significant size.
Qǐfēi
A verb describing an aircraft leaving the ground and beginning flight.
Qǐchuáng
A verb meaning to rise from bed after sleeping.
Qiānbǐ
A common writing tool with a graphite core encased in wood.
Qiánmiàn
A directional word meaning in front of or ahead, referring to physical or sequential position.
Quánbù
A word meaning the whole of something, all of it without exception.
Quánshuǐ
Water that flows naturally from the ground, often bottled and sold as a beverage.
Qúnzi
A common word for a skirt, a garment worn by women and girls.
Qízhì
A cloth emblem used as a symbol of a nation, group, or cause.
Qìqiú
An inflatable rubber or latex bag, often used for decoration or celebration.
Qīngtíng
A slender, winged insect often seen near ponds and rivers, known for its fast flight.
Qiánbāo
A small case used to carry cash, cards, and personal items.
Qīnqi
A general term for family members outside the immediate household, such as aunts, uncles, or cousins.
Qīwàng
A noun or verb referring to hoping for or anticipating a particular outcome.
Qīxiàn
A fixed point in time by which something must be completed or submitted.
Qǐshì
A lesson, insight, or moment of realization drawn from an experience or story.
Qìshuǐ
A carbonated, sweetened soft drink, popular as a casual beverage.
Qǐngwèn
A polite phrase used to preface a question, similar to “excuse me” or “may I ask.”
Qǐngkè
A phrase meaning to host or pay for someone else’s meal or outing as a gesture of hospitality.
Qīngchu
An adjective describing something easy to understand, see, or hear without confusion.
Qīngsōng
An adjective describing a light, easy, stress-free feeling or situation.
Qīngnián
A term for a young adult, typically referring to someone in their teens to twenties.
Qiǎohé
A chance occurrence of two events happening together without planned connection.
Quèdìng
A verb meaning to confirm, verify, or be certain about something.
Qiánkūn
A classical term symbolizing the cosmos or the balance of opposing forces, drawn from I Ching philosophy.
Qiānbiànwànhuà
A four-character idiom describing something that undergoes countless, unpredictable changes.
Qiānjūnwànmǎ
An idiom literally meaning “a thousand troops, ten thousand horses,” used to describe an overwhelming force.
Qíxīnxiélì
An idiom praising unity and cooperation, where people combine effort toward a shared goal.
Qiútóngcúnyì
A diplomatic idiom describing the practice of focusing on shared interests while setting aside disagreements.