HSK · Level 29
135 words
Chinese word
一口气
Pronunciation
Pinyinyī kǒu qì
Meaning
- adverbin one go
Example
他一口气把书读完了。tā yì kǒu qì bǎ shū dú wán le
He read the book in one go.
More examples
她一口气把剩下的饭吃完了。tā yì kǒu qì bǎ shèng xià de fàn chī wán le
She ate up the remaining rice in one go.
Core concept
A single breath becomes a steady push that reaches completion in one continuous movement.
Common phrases
一口气读完yì kǒu qì dú wán
read to the end in one go
一口气吃完yì kǒu qì chī wán
eat up in one go
一口气说完yì kǒu qì shuō wán
say everything in one go
Similar words
一下子yí xià zi: Doing something quickly and all at once.
立刻lì kè: Immediately, when an action or change takes place.
马上mǎ shàng: Immediately, when an action is about to start.
Definition in Chinese
表示在一次呼吸的时间内或很短的时间里把事情完成，指一次性、不中断地把动作做完，常作副词用。biǎo shì zài yí cì hū xī de shí jiān nèi huò hěn duǎn de shí jiān lǐ bǎ shì qíng wán chéng zhǐ yí cì xìng bù zhōng duàn dì bǎ dòng zuò zuò wán cháng zuò fù cí yòng
Word origin
The literal phrase 一 (yī, "one") + 口 (kǒu, "mouthful") + 气 (qì, "air") describes one breath, and its figurative use applies that uninterrupted span to finishing an activity.
Usage tips
- Unlike English "at once," this word usually focuses on continuity through an activity rather than simply on starting immediately, a distinction that helps clarify everyday conversations.
Other meanings
- without stoppingadverb
Opposites
- 慢慢地màn màn dìslowlyadverb
- 逐渐zhú jiàngraduallyadverb