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period / term

12 strokes · 其 (sound) + 月 (moon) — time measured by the moon · HSK 1

Where 期 comes from

期 pairs 其 (sound) with the moon 月 — because before clocks, the moon WAS the calendar. A 期 is a moon-measured stretch of time: a period, a term, an appointed date.

期 in Chinese culture

期 schedules life: 星期 (week — 'star period', with 星), 学期 (school term, with 学), 日期 (date). 期待 is to look forward to — to wait for an appointed time. The lunar root still shows: Chinese festivals follow the moon, and 期 quietly reminds you that time in China was counted in moonlight long before Mondays existed.

Example

星期 xīngqī — week

今天星期几?
Jīntiān xīngqī jǐ?
What day of the week is it?

How to remember it

The moon 月 marking appointed time — a PERIOD, a TERM.

星期几? literally asks 'star-period how-many?' — days of the week are numbered, not named: Monday is 星期一, 'week-one'.

Same sound, different tones

1st qī
period
2nd qí
its / that
3rd qǐ
to rise

Words unlocked by 期

星期 xīngqī
week
日期 rìqī
date
学期 xuéqī
semester
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