开 meaning and stroke order
To open (transitive or intransitive); (of ships, vehicles, troops etc) to start; to turn on; to put in operation; to operate; to run
How to write 开, stroke by stroke
4 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
Meaning of 开
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to open (transitive or intransitive)
- (of ships, vehicles, troops etc) to start
- to turn on; to put in operation; to operate; to run
- to boil
- to write out (a prescription, check, invoice etc)
- (directional complement) away; off
How 开 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Simplified form of 開; hands 廾 lifting the latch 一 of a door.
Radical: 廾 (two hands), shared by 10 characters on this site.
How to remember 开
Picture two hands 廾 at the bottom pushing up the bar 一 that locks a door. Lift the latch and the door opens, so 开 (kāi) means to open.
开 is used for opening things, starting things, and turning on machines, as in 开门 (kāimén, open the door) and 开灯 (kāidēng, turn on the light). It also means to drive or operate a vehicle, and after a verb it can mean away or apart, as in 走开 (zǒukāi). Example: 请开窗户。 (Qǐng kāi chuānghu.) Please open the window.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 开 with 井 (jǐng, well), which has two vertical strokes crossing two horizontals. In 开 the top 一 sits flat above two legs, and nothing crosses it. Another trap is using 开 to mean switch off. For that you need 关 (guān), as in 关灯 (guāndēng, turn off the light).
Common words with 开
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 打开 | dǎkāi | to open; to show (a ticket) | HSK 1 |
| 开玩笑 | kāi wánxiào | to play a joke; to make fun of; to joke | HSK 1 |
| 开车 | kāichē | to drive a car (or train etc); (slang) to post sexual content online; to make a sexual jok | HSK 1 |
| 开会 | kāihuì | to hold or attend a meeting | HSK 1 |
| 离开 | líkāi | to depart; to leave | HSK 2 |
| 开心 | kāixīn | to feel happy; to rejoice | HSK 2 |
| 走开 | zǒukāi | to leave; to walk away; to beat it; to move aside | HSK 2 |
| 分开 | fēnkāi | to separate; to part | HSK 2 |
| 开学 | kāixué | (of a student) to start school; (of a semester) to begin | HSK 2 |
| 开机 | kāijī | to start an engine; to boot up (a computer) | HSK 2 |
| 开始 | kāishǐ | to begin; to start; beginning; start | HSK 3 |
| 公开 | gōngkāi | open; overt; public; to make public; to release | HSK 3 |
| 解开 | jiěkāi | to untie; to undo | HSK 3 |
| 展开 | zhǎnkāi | to unfold; to spread out; to open up; to launch; to carry out | HSK 3 |
开 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 开
Learning 开 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 开
How many strokes are in 开?
开 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 开 mean?
开 (kāi) means to open (transitive or intransitive); (of ships, vehicles, troops etc) to start; to turn on; to put in operation; to operate; to run. A common word with it is 打开 (dǎkāi), meaning "to open; to show (a ticket)".
How do you pronounce 开?
开 is pronounced kāi, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 开?
The radical of 开 is 廾, which carries the idea of "two hands". Dictionaries list 开 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 开?
The traditional form of 开 is 開. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 开 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 开 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 开 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
How do you say turn on the TV or computer with 开?
Use 开 or 打开 before the device, as in 开电视 (kāi diànshì) or 打开电脑 (dǎkāi diànnǎo). To turn it off, use 关 (guān).
Why does 开 appear in words like 开心 and 开水?
开 has extended senses beyond opening a door. 开心 (kāixīn) means happy, like an opened heart, and 开 can also mean to boil, so 开水 (kāishuǐ) is boiled water.