HSK Guide

kāito open

kāi (first tone, high and level)kai1

Traditional:

to open

HSK 1· HSK 1–4 (classic)Level 1· Three-band, nine-level standardverb
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Meanings

  1. to open

    To open a door, a book or a shop for business. Its opposite is 关 guān, to close.

    verb
  2. to switch on; to drive (a vehicle)

    verb

    开 covers switching a machine on (开电视, 开电脑) and driving a vehicle yourself (开车), as against 坐 for riding in one.

Character breakdown

  • kāi (first tone, high and level)

    to open; to turn on, to switch on; to start, to begin; to drive (a vehicle); to hold (a meeting)

    4 strokesRadical

Example sentences

  • 商店九点开。商店九點開。Shāngdiàn (first tone, high and level) jiǔ (third tone, dipping) diǎn (third tone, dipping) kāi. (first tone, high and level)···

    The shop opens at nine.

  • 请开电视,我想看电影。請開電視,我想看電影。Qǐng (third tone, dipping) kāi (first tone, high and level) diànshì, (fourth tone, falling) (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) kàn (fourth tone, falling) diànyǐng. (fourth tone, falling)···

    Please switch the television on — I want to watch a film.