乞 meaning and stroke order
To beg; to request
How to write 乞, stroke by stroke
3 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
Meaning of 乞
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to beg
How 乞 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 乙 (second), shared by 6 characters on this site.
How to remember 乞
The top of 乞 (qǐ) looks like a person bending down, and the bottom is the hook 乙 (yǐ), like a hand held out and curled up. Picture someone bowing low with a cupped hand, begging for help.
乞 is rarely used alone in modern speech. It appears mostly in fixed words like 乞丐 (qǐgài, beggar), 乞讨 (qǐtǎo, to go begging) and 乞求 (qǐqiú, to plead). Example: 他在街上乞讨。(Tā zài jiē shang qǐtǎo.) He begs on the street.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 乞 (qǐ) with 气 (qì, air), which has an extra horizontal stroke on top. Also keep the third tone. 乞 is qǐ, not qì.
Common words with 乞
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
乞 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 乞
Learning 乞 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 乞
How many strokes are in 乞?
乞 is written with 3 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 乞 mean?
乞 (qǐ) means to beg; to request. A common word with it is 乞丐 (qǐgài), meaning "beggar".
How do you pronounce 乞?
乞 is pronounced qǐ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 乞?
The radical of 乞 is 乙, which carries the idea of "second". Dictionaries list 乞 under this radical.
Is 乞 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 乞 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 乞求 and 请求?
请求 (qǐngqiú) is a neutral, polite request. 乞求 (qǐqiú) sounds desperate and humble, like pleading for mercy or forgiveness.
Is 乞丐 a polite word for a homeless person?
乞丐 (qǐgài) specifically means someone who begs, and it can sound blunt. For a person without a home, 流浪者 (liúlàngzhě) or 无家可归的人 (wú jiā kě guī de rén) is more neutral.