气 · qì

air; breath; energy

Radical pronunciation

Radical summary

#84

Kangxi

4

Strokes

#65

Frequency

Visual hint

Breath or rising vapor: three wavy strokes stacked like rising smoke or steam.

Suggests air, breath, vital energy (qi), or life force.

varies

Trace the radical, simplified, traditional, and variant forms when available.

气

2 examples

气

qì

air; gas; breath; energy

HSK 1

汽

qì

steam; automobile

HSK 3

Air/breath radical. Found in 气 (air/gas), 汽 (steam/car), 氛 (atmosphere/ambiance).

Breath rising from the mouth: three gentle waves like thin smoke — invisible air, yet essential to life.

风: 气 is still air/gas; 风 is moving wind — same air substance, one still and one moving.

What radical is this: 气?