七 (qī) means "seven" with HSK 1 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: seven
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
The original oracle bone form of 七 was a cross shape, a horizontal stroke crossed by a vertical, depicting a notch cut into something. It was in fact the original character for 'to cut', a meaning later taken over by 切 (which adds the knife radical 刀). The number seven borrowed this pictograph through phonetic loan because the two words sounded alike in Old Chinese.
Form evolution
In bronze inscriptions the vertical stroke began to bend at the bottom, and by seal script the lower portion had curled into a hook. Clerical script straightened and squared the form into something close to the modern 七, with the bottom of the vertical sweeping rightward. Modern 楷书 keeps this two-stroke shape, easily confused by beginners with 匕 (dagger).
How the meaning evolved
The original 'cut' sense was entirely displaced once 七 became fixed as the numeral seven, with the new character 切 created to carry the verb. As a number, 七 carries cultural weight in mourning customs, where the 头七 (first seventh day after death) and subsequent weekly rites mark the soul's passage. It also appears in many set phrases such as 七上八下 (anxious, unsettled).
Cultural note
Learners often confuse 七 with 匕; the difference is that 七 has a long horizontal crossing the vertical, while 匕 has a short horizontal that does not extend to the left. On formal cheques the anti-fraud form 柒 replaces 七.
Basic info
Example sentences
七个学生。
Qī gè xuésheng.
Seven students.
From 七 (HSK 1)
Words containing 七
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 七 | qī | seven | HSK 1 |
On the new HSK 1 exam
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Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.