COMPONENTS & ETYMOLOGY
How 棋 is built
Traditional etymology note: 木 (wood) suggests the meaning, while 其 suggests the pronunciation.
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How to Write 棋 (qí) — Chinese Character Stroke Order, Meaning & Practice Sheet
chess
qíTone 2 (Rising)Pitch goes up like asking ‘What?’
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STROKE BY STROKE
Static stroke diagrams
Follow all 12 strokes in the correct order.
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StrokeSheetCharacter Writing Worksheet
qí
棋
chess
Common words
qí zǐ
棋子
chess piece; (fig.) a pawn (used by others for their own purposes)
wéi qí
围棋
the game of Go
xiàng qí
象棋
Chinese chess
jǔ qí bú dìng
举棋不定
to hesitate over what move to make (idiom); to waver; to shilly-shally
qín qí shū huà
琴棋书画
the four arts (zither, Go, calligraphy, painting); the accomplishments of a well-educated person
Follow the stroke order, then write it on your own.
棋
棋
棋
棋
棋
棋
棋
棋
LEARNING TIP
Remember 棋
Say “qí” aloud as you replay the animation. Then hide the model and write the 12 strokes from memory. Short, repeated practice builds a stronger visual and motor connection.
Practice on CanvasWORDS WITH 棋
Common words and phrases
qí zǐ
chess piece; (fig.) a pawn (used by others for their own purposes)
wéi qí
the game of Go
xiàng qí
Chinese chess
jǔ qí bú dìng
to hesitate over what move to make (idiom); to waver; to shilly-shally
qín qí shū huà
the four arts (zither, Go, calligraphy, painting); the accomplishments of a well-educated person
IN CONTEXT
Example sentences
这个字是“棋”。
Zhège zì shì “qí”.
This character is “棋”.
我正在学习“棋”字。
Wǒ zhèngzài xuéxí “qí” zì.
I am learning the character “棋”.
请写一遍“棋”。
Qǐng xiě yí biàn “qí”.
Please write “棋” once.
Frequently asked questions
How many strokes are in 棋?
棋 is written with 12 strokes.
What does 棋 (qí) mean?
棋 (qí) means chess.
What is the radical of 棋?
The radical of 棋 is 木, associated with Not yet classified.