p8nda
p8nda BETA
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机

機
jī
noun #1,197

Meanings

  1. 1 machine; mechanism
  2. 2 opportunity; chance
  3. 3 aircraft

Examples

这是一个好机会，别错过了。
Zhè shì yí gè hǎo jīhuì, bié cuòguò le.
This is a good opportunity, don't miss it.
他在工厂修机器。
Tā zài gōngchǎng xiū jīqì.
He repairs machines at the factory.

Tips

usage
机 is one of the most productive characters in modern Chinese. It appears in dozens of everyday words: 手机 (phone), 飞机 (airplane), 电视机 (TV set), 机场 (airport), 机会 (opportunity), 司机 (driver). Learning 机 unlocks a huge number of compounds.
history
The traditional character 機 originally depicted a loom mechanism (織機), which is why the meaning expanded from "loom" to "machine" to "mechanism" in general. The simplified form 机 uses the wood radical 木 with 几, dramatically reducing the stroke count from 16 to 6.

In Pop Culture

变形金刚 Biànxíng Jīngāng
Transformers
robots that transform into vehicles — 机器人 means 'robot'

Stroke Order

机 jī