棋 is also the simplified spelling of 棊, 碁.

棋

Mandarin · pinyin qí

Meanings

  1. chess
  2. chess-like game
  3. a game of chess
  4. Classifier: 盤 pán
  5. chess piece
  6. Classifier: 個 gè, 顆 kē
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Characters in this entry

棋
qí · chess; any game similar to chess
Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2 · qi2

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1character link104same-tone records4source references
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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Rime Cantonese 粵拼

kei4

Cantonese word readings for 棋. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character

  1. board game, usually excluding those played with cards (牌 (pái))
  2. board game, usually excluding those played with cards (牌 (pái)) — an instance of playing such games (Classifier: 局; 盤/盘)
  3. board game, usually excluding those played with cards (牌 (pái)) — piece; counter used in such games (Classifier: 枚 m; 隻/只 c)
  4. (figurative) strategy; plan
  5. (Cantonese, figurative) pawn; puppet (someone who is controlled by outside force) (Classifier: 隻/只 c)

character

  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) root, basis, alternative form of 基 (jī)

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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