Chinese–EnglishWith examples

开

kāi · kai

Traditional 開

HSK 1

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to open (transitive or intransitive)
  2. (of ships, vehicles, troops etc) to start
  3. to turn on; to put in operation; to operate; to run
  4. to boil
  5. to write out (a prescription, check, invoice etc)
  6. (directional complement) away; off
  7. carat (gold)
  8. abbr. for Kelvin, 開爾文 / 开尔文 (Kāiěrwén)
  9. abbr. for 開本 / 开本 (kāiběn), book format
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In a conversation

0:20 cartoon

Wrong door

  1. Dengdeng

    这个(zhège)门(mén)怎么(zěnme)开(kāi)不(bù)了(liǎo)？

    Why won't this door open?

  2. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)用(yòng)的(de)是(shì)哪(nǎ)把(bǎ)钥匙(yàoshi)？

    Which key are you using?

  3. Dengdeng

    家里(jiālǐ)的(de)钥匙(yàoshi)。我(wǒ)开(kāi)了(le)十(shí)次(cì)，都(dōu)不行(bùxíng)。

    My house key. I tried ten times and it never works.

  4. Liangliang

    灯灯(dēngdēng)，这(zhè)是(shì)我家(wǒjiā)的(de)门(mén)。

    Dengdeng, this is my door.

  5. Dengdeng

    难怪(nánguài)开(kāi)不(bù)了(liǎo)！

    No wonder it won't open!

  6. Liangliang

    你家(nǐjiā)在(zài)隔壁(gébì)，去(qù)开(kāi)你家(nǐjiā)的(de)门(mén)吧(ba)。

    Your home is next door. Go open your own door.

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

医(yī)生(shēng)给(gěi)他(tā)的(de)病(bìng)人(rén)开(kāi)了(le)一(yì)些(xiē)药(yào)。

The physician prescribed his patient some medicine.

Tatoeba: Chinese by slo_oth · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

请(qǐng)把(bǎ)窗(chuāng)户(hu)开(kāi)一(yí)下(xià)，屋(wū)里(lǐ)太(tài)闷(mēn)了(le)。

Please open the window a bit; it's too stuffy inside.

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How to write

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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