The character 启 — “open”: how to write it and what it means
open, start
The Chinese character 启 is read qǐ and means “open, start”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.
Stroke order: how to write 启
启 has 7 strokes. At each step the new stroke is highlighted — write them in the same order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical, a frame before what is inside it, and the bottom stroke of the frame last.
To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for 启, with strokes to trace and empty squares.
What 启 is made of
On top, 户 “door”; below, 口 “mouth”: opening a door.
The parts of a character hint at its meaning or its reading — more in the article “Chinese character radicals”.
Words with 启
- 启事notice (written)HSK 6
- 启发inspire, enlightenHSK 6
- 启动start, launchHSK 6
- 开启open, start (switch on)HSK 6
- 启示lesson (from sth); revelationHSK 6
Frequently asked questions
How do you write the character 启?
启 has 7 strokes. They follow the usual rules: top to bottom, left to right, horizontal before vertical, outside before inside. The order of each stroke is shown on this page.
What does 启 mean?
启 means “open, start”. It appears in 启事 (“notice”), 启发 (“inspire”), 启动 (“start”), 开启 (“open”).
How do you pronounce 启?
启 is read qǐ. The tone is part of the reading: with another melody it becomes another syllable.
How many strokes does 启 have?
7 strokes.
More characters on the page “Chinese characters with meanings” and in the list of HSK characters by level; whole words are in the dictionary.
Write 启 yourself
In the lessons you write characters stroke by stroke with a finger or a mouse, and the course checks the order. You can start for free, no sign-up needed.
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