Chinese word

开

Pronunciation

Pinyinkāi

Meaning

  • verbopen

Example

请把窗户开一下。qǐng bǎ chuāng hù kāi yí xià

Please open the window a little.

Illustration for 开 (open)

More examples

请把电视开一下。qǐng bǎ diàn shì kāi yí xià

Please turn on the TV.

Core concept

Moves a closed, still, or inactive thing into an open, operating, or active state.

Common phrases

  • 开灯kāi dēng

    turn on the light

  • 开门kāi mén

    open the door

  • 开电视kāi diàn shì

    turn on the TV

Similar words

打开dǎ kāi: Open a lid or door so that the inside can be seen or items can be taken out.
关guān: Close a door or window so that people cannot pass through.
开始kāi shǐ: Begin an event, task, or piece of work.

Definition in Chinese

使机器、设备或活动开始运转或进行。shǐ jī qì shè bèi huò huó dòng kāi shǐ yùn zhuǎn huò jìn xíng

Word origin

开 (kāi, "open") originally referred to opening a door or gate, then broadened to bringing machines and activities into operation.

Usage tips

  • English uses different verbs for a door, a machine, and an event, while this Chinese verb can cover all three when something becomes active.

Other meanings

  • turn onverb
  • startverb
  • runverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word