期 is a Chinese character with 12 strokes, radical 月 (meat), HSK 1 on the new exam.
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
期 has no oracle-bone pictograph of its own; it is a phono-semantic compound. 月 (moon) on the right is the semantic component, referring to the monthly lunar cycle that structured early Chinese time-keeping. 其 on the left is the phonetic, originally a winnowing basket (qí) borrowed purely for its sound.
Form evolution
Bronze and seal forms already show the 其 + 月 structure, though the positions varied (some early forms put 月 on top). Clerical script stabilised the left-right arrangement and regularised both components into their modern stroke shapes. The character has been formally stable since the Han.
How the meaning evolved
Because lunar months were the natural unit for appointments, 期 began as 'a fixed period of time, appointed date' and extended to 'to expect, to await at an appointed time'. Modern Mandarin uses it for periods (学期 semester, 时期 era), scheduled dates (日期, 到期), and expectation (期望, 期待).
Cultural note
The phonetic 其 in 期 is a classic example of a component that tells you nothing about meaning. Learners who try to decode 期 through 其 'that/his' get nowhere; the only productive reading is 月 (calendar) + 其 (sound cue).
Mnemonic
The moon marks a period — a term of time
Decomposition
Breaking a character into its components makes it far easier to recall. Each component above links to its own detail page.
Basic info
| Stroke count | 12 strokes |
| Radical | 月 (#130: meat) |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 1 |
| Frequency | #139 most common |
Example sentences
Words containing 期
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 星期 | xīngqī | week | HSK 1 |
| 学期 | xuéqī | Semester | HSK 3 |
| 期待 | qīdài | expect | HSK 5 |
| 过期 | guòqī | Be overdue | HSK 5 |
| 期间 | qījiān | Period | HSK 5 |
| 日期 | rìqī | Date | HSK 4 |
| 时期 | shíqī | period | HSK 5 |
| 长期 | chángqī | long-term, long-time | HSK 5 |
| 初期 | chūqī | initial stage | HSK 5 |
| 到期 | dàoqī | to fall due, to expire | HSK 5 |
| 定期 | dìngqī | regular, at regular intervals | HSK 5 |
| 短期 | duǎnqī | short-term, short-time | HSK 5 |
Related characters
On the new HSK 1 exam
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Frequently Asked Questions
Appears in these articles
Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.