骑 meaning and stroke order
To sit astride; to ride (a horse, bike etc); classifier for saddle horses
How to write 骑, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 骑
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to sit astride
- to ride (a horse, bike etc)
- classifier for saddle horses
- (Tw) saddle horse
- mounted soldier
How 骑 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Horse.
马 gives the meaning and 奇 hints at the sound.
Radical: 马 (horse), shared by 54 characters on this site.
How to remember 骑
骑 combines 马 (mǎ, horse) on the left, which gives the meaning, with 奇 (qí) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture yourself sitting on a horse 马 and saying "qí" as you ride off.
骑 (qí) is the verb for riding anything you sit astride, like a horse, a bicycle, or a motorbike. It is very common in daily life through 骑车 (qí chē). Example: 我每天骑车上班。(Wǒ měitiān qí chē shàngbān.) I ride my bike to work every day.
Common mistake: Learners often say 坐自行车 (zuò zìxíngchē) for riding a bike, but you 骑 (qí) things you straddle and 坐 (zuò) things you sit inside, like a bus or taxi. Also do not confuse 骑 with 骂 (mà, to scold) or 寄 (jì, to mail), which look similar.
Common words with 骑
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 骑车 | qí chē | to ride a bike (motorbike or bicycle) | HSK 2 |
| 骑士 | qíshì | knight; cavalier; (Tw) bike rider (scooter, bicycle etc) | |
| 骑马 | qímǎ | to ride a horse | |
| 骑兵 | qíbīng | cavalry | |
| 骑手 | qíshǒu | horse rider; equestrian | |
| 骑师 | qíshī | jockey; horse rider | |
| 骑警 | qíjǐng | mounted police (on horse or motorbike) | |
| 坐骑 | zuòqí | saddle horse; mount |
骑 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 骑
How many strokes are in 骑?
骑 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 骑 mean?
骑 (qí) means to sit astride; to ride (a horse, bike etc); classifier for saddle horses. A common word with it is 骑车 (qí chē), meaning "to ride a bike (motorbike or bicycle)".
How do you pronounce 骑?
骑 is pronounced qí, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 骑?
The radical of 骑 is 马, which carries the idea of "horse". Dictionaries list 骑 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 骑?
The traditional form of 骑 is 騎. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 骑 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 骑 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 骑 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
Can 骑 be read jì?
Yes, in Taiwan 骑 can be read jì in the sense of a saddle horse or a mounted soldier. In mainland standard Mandarin it is read qí in all senses, for example 骑兵 (qíbīng) cavalry.
What does 坐骑 (zuòqí) mean?
坐骑 (zuòqí) means a mount, the animal or vehicle someone rides. It is often used for a hero's horse in stories, and jokingly for someone's car or motorbike.