Meaning of 离开
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to depart; to leave
How to use 离开
离开 takes the place or person you leave as a direct object, with no extra preposition. It can be used for leaving a room, a city, a job, or a person. Example: 他明天离开北京。(Tā míngtiān líkāi Běijīng.) He leaves Beijing tomorrow.
离 (lí) means to be apart or away from, and 开 (kāi) means to open or move off. Picture a door that opens so you can move away from a place: 离开 (líkāi), to leave.
Common mistake: Learners often add 从 and say 从北京离开 when they mean simply 离开北京. Also do not confuse 离开 with 走开 (zǒukāi), which is an order like "go away" or "move aside" and sounds rude if said to someone.
离开 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
离 lí · to leave · 10 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
开 kāi · to open · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Related words
Words that share a character with 离开.
| 打开 | dǎkāi | to open; to show (a ticket) |
| 开玩笑 | kāi wánxiào | to play a joke; to make fun of; to joke |
| 开车 | kāichē | to drive a car (or train etc); (slang) to post sexual content online; to make a sexual jok |
| 开会 | kāihuì | to hold or attend a meeting |
| 开心 | kāixīn | to feel happy; to rejoice |
| 走开 | zǒukāi | to leave; to walk away; to beat it; to move aside |
| 分开 | fēnkāi | to separate; to part |
| 开学 | kāixué | (of a student) to start school; (of a semester) to begin |
| 开机 | kāijī | to start an engine; to boot up (a computer) |
| 开始 | kāishǐ | to begin; to start; beginning; start |
| 离婚 | líhūn | to divorce |
| 公开 | gōngkāi | open; overt; public; to make public; to release |
Questions about 离开
What does 离开 mean?
离开 (líkāi) means "to depart; to leave".
How do you write 离开?
离开 is made of 2 characters: 离 (10 strokes), 开 (4 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 离开 an HSK word?
Yes. 离开 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 离开 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 离开 is written 離開.
What is the difference between 离开 and 走?
走 (zǒu) is short and casual, as in 我走了 (Wǒ zǒu le), I'm off. 离开 is a little more complete and usually names what you are leaving, like 离开家 (líkāi jiā), to leave home.
Can 离开 mean leaving a person or living without something?
Yes. 我离不开你 (Wǒ lí bu kāi nǐ) means I can't be without you. The pattern 离不开 is common for things you depend on, like 离不开手机, can't do without a phone.