First recorded in 1845–55; from Chinese qì “breath, air, spirit, gas”
The word qi may be little, but boy is it energetic. In fact, qi stands for the energy in everything. (It's also a handy word to know in Scrabble.) In Chinese philosophy, qi, also spelled chi or ch'i, is the life force that every person, plant, animal, and thing — including inanimate objects — has. Chinese medicine and acupuncture both address the concept of qi; if you're feeling a little under the weather, an unbalanced qi may be the culprit. Martial arts also uses the concept: If you've ever practiced tai chi, then you're already familiar with qi, just with a different spelling.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The merger with Alibaba’s Cainiao autonomous-driving vehicle unit has paved the way for a fundamental change at the robovan company, Zelos Chief Executive Kong Qi said in an interview.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026
H. Jerry Qi, professor of mechanical engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, also collaborated on the project.
From Science Daily • Feb. 6, 2026
INF was founded by Qi Yuan, a professor who heads an AI institute at Shanghai’s prestigious Fudan University.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025
Those reports then ended up with Cai Qi, and he seems to have been so pleased about the information that, in July 2022, Mr Berry met Cai.
From BBC • Oct. 16, 2025
So must Wang Qi, You Xiao-fan, and all my classmates.
From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
