憩 (qì): to rest

Meanings

1 to rest
2 to take a break

Characters

憩

qì

to rest

Examples

旅客可以在亭子里小憩片刻。

Lǚkè kěyǐ zài tíngzi lǐ xiǎoqì piànkè.

Travelers can rest a while in the pavilion.

午饭后，他喜欢在树荫下憩息。

Wǔfàn hòu, tā xǐhuan zài shùyīn xià qì xī.

After lunch he likes to take a short rest in the shade.

Tips

usage

A literary word for resting. It is most often met in 小憩 ('to take a short rest') and 休憩 ('to rest'), more formal than the everyday word 休息.

Components

radical

心 xīn

heart; mind

Heart, the indexing radical at the bottom. Rest calms both breath and mind, so the heart radical fits, the same family as 息 (to rest).

semantic

舌 shé

tongue

Tongue, on the left. Resting includes catching one's breath through the mouth; the tongue element pairs with the breath idea below to picture relaxed breathing.

semantic

自 zì

nose; self

Originally pictured a nose. Sitting above the heart it forms the breath element: breathing in and out, which is what one does while resting.

Stroke Order

憩 qì

Related Words

小憩 xiǎoqì #25,022

to take a short rest; to rest briefly; to take a breather

安息 ānxī #4,397

to rest in peace / to rest

打破 dǎpò HSK 3 #2,968

to break; to smash / to break (a record, a rule, silence)

保重 bǎozhòng HSK 7-9 #2,912

to take care of oneself / take care (farewell expression)

乘 chéng HSK 5 #2,691

to ride; to take (transport) / to take advantage of; to seize (an opportunity) / to multiply (mathematics)

藏身 cángshēn HSK 7-9 #6,823

to hide / to take shelter / to take refuge

担 dān HSK 7-9 #9,676

to shoulder; to carry on a pole / to take on; to undertake / to take responsibility for

办事 bànshì HSK 4 #5,021

to handle affairs; to get things done / to work; to take care of business

打包 dǎbāo HSK 5 #4,883

to pack; to package / to get a doggy bag (take leftover food from a restaurant) / to bundle up

操心 cāoxīn HSK 7-9 #4,636

to worry about / to be concerned about / to take care of