企 meaning and stroke order
To plan a project; to stand on tiptoe
How to write 企, stroke by stroke
6 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
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 企
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to stand on tiptoe and look; to anticipate; to look forward to
- (bound form) company; firm; enterprise; corporation (abbr. for 企業|企业[qi3 ye4])
- Taiwan pr. [qi4]
How 企 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A man 人 on his feet 止; 止 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 人 (man), shared by 30 characters on this site.
How to remember 企
A person 人 standing on top of a foot 止 looks like someone rising up on tiptoe to see far ahead. Looking ahead turns into hoping and planning, which is why 企 shows up in words about goals and companies.
企 (qǐ) rarely stands alone. It appears in compounds, most often 企业 (qǐyè, company) and its short form in words like 外企 (wàiqǐ, foreign company). Example: 她在一家外企工作。(Tā zài yì jiā wàiqǐ gōngzuò.) She works at a foreign company.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 企 with 止 (zhǐ, to stop) or forget the 人 on top, writing only the foot part. Also note the tone: mainland Mandarin uses third tone qǐ, while Taiwan often says qì, so do not be confused if you hear both.
Common words with 企
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
企 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 企
How many strokes are in 企?
企 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 企 mean?
企 (qǐ) means to plan a project; to stand on tiptoe. A common word with it is 企业 (qǐyè), meaning "company; firm; enterprise; corporation".
How do you pronounce 企?
企 is pronounced qǐ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 企?
The radical of 企 is 人, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 企 under this radical.
Is 企 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 企 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Why is penguin 企鹅 (qǐ'é) written with 企?
Penguins stand upright and look like they are on tiptoe, gazing into the distance. The 企 in 企鹅 reflects that original meaning of standing on tiptoe and looking.
Does 企图 (qǐtú) have a negative feeling?
Often, yes. 企图 means to attempt or an attempt, and it is commonly used for plans that fail or are bad, as in 企图逃跑 (qǐtú táopǎo, to try to escape). For neutral trying, 尝试 (chángshì) or 试图 (shìtú) are safer choices.