Chinese word

离开

Pronunciation

Pinyinlí kāi

Meaning

  • verbleave

Example

上课铃响了，我要离开操场。shàng kè líng xiǎng le wǒ yào lí kāi cāo chǎng

The bell rang for class, so I need to leave the playground.

Illustration for 离开 (leave)

More examples

今天他早上八点就离开家了。jīn tiān tā zǎo shàng bā diǎn jiù lí kāi jiā le

He left home at eight this morning.

Core concept

Cross the boundary of a place, connection, or former state and begin moving beyond it.

Common phrases

  • 离开家lí kāi jiā

    leave home

  • 离开学校lí kāi xué xiào

    leave school

  • 离开公司lí kāi gōng sī

    leave the company

Similar words

去qù: To go away from one place toward another.
走zǒu: To move from place to place on foot.
出去chū qù: To go from inside a place to the outside.
走开zǒu kāi: To move away from the current spot and make room there.

Definition in Chinese

从原处走开或脱离原有的状态，表示开始离去或退出。cóng yuán chù zǒu kāi huò tuō lí yuán yǒu de zhuàng tài biǎo shì kāi shǐ lí qù huò tuì chū

Word origin

离 (lí, "separate") + 开 (kāi, "open") forms a compound that links separation with opening a way out.

Usage tips

  • A sentence with 要 (yào, "will") before 离开 (líkāi, "leave") usually places the departure in the future, so it can describe someone who plans to go.

Other meanings

  • move awayverb
  • set outverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word