qǐfēi: 起飞 - To Take Off, To Launch, To Become Successful

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• Summary: Discover the meaning of 起飞 (qǐfēi), a versatile Chinese word that literally means “to take off,” just like an airplane. But its modern usage has launched far beyond the runway. Learn how 起飞 (qǐfēi) is used metaphorically to describe a booming economy, a skyrocketing career, or someone who suddenly becomes popular online. This guide covers its literal and slang meanings, cultural significance in modern China, and provides practical examples to help you master this essential HSK 3 term.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): qǐfēi
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: 3
• Concise Definition: To lift off from the ground and begin flight; metaphorically, to begin a period of rapid growth or success.
• In a Nutshell: At its heart, 起飞 (qǐfēi) is the action of an airplane leaving the ground. It's a word filled with upward momentum. This powerful, positive image is so strong that Chinese speakers apply it to anything that's experiencing a sudden and successful start. Think of a business whose sales are suddenly booming, a project that's off to a great start, or a person whose career is suddenly going vertical. It's the moment of launch, the beginning of an exciting upward journey.

• 起 (qǐ): To rise, to get up, to start. You can think of this character as representing the action of starting or rising. It combines a person getting up and starting to move.
• 飞 (fēi): To fly. This is a beautiful pictograph that looks like a bird with its wings spread, soaring through the sky.
• Together, 起飞 (qǐfēi) literally means “to rise and fly,” a perfect and vivid description of an airplane taking off, which forms the basis for all its metaphorical meanings.

The term 起飞 (qǐfēi) holds a special place in the narrative of modern China. While in English, “to take off” is a common metaphor, in Chinese, 起飞 (qǐfēi) is frequently and powerfully used to describe the nation's rapid economic development since the 1980s. Phrases like “中国经济起飞了” (The Chinese economy has taken off) are not just economic statements; they are expressions of national pride, progress, and ambition. Unlike the Western concept of “launching a career,” which often feels individualistic, 起飞 (qǐfēi) in a Chinese context can carry a collective weight. It taps into a shared cultural experience of witnessing breathtakingly rapid transformation. When a person's career “takes off,” it's not just a personal success but also a reflection of being part of a dynamic, fast-moving society where such incredible growth is possible. It’s a word that encapsulates the energy and optimism of modern China.

1. Literal Meaning: Aviation and Aerospace This is the most direct use of the word. It's the standard, technical term for an aircraft leaving the ground.

• Context: Airports, news reports about space launches, flight announcements.
• Formality: Neutral to formal.

2. Metaphorical Meaning: Economy and Business This is an extremely common usage in business news and corporate discussions. It implies rapid, significant, and positive growth.

• Context: Describing a company's performance, a new product's success, or a country's economic boom.
• Formality: Can be used in both informal discussions and semi-formal presentations.

3. Metaphorical Meaning: Personal and Career Growth Used to describe a person's career, reputation, or even skill level suddenly improving dramatically.

• Context: Talking about a colleague's promotion, an artist's newfound fame, or your own progress.
• Formality: Mostly informal to semi-formal.

4. Slang Meaning: Internet and Gaming Culture In modern slang, especially among younger people, 起飞 (qǐfēi) means to “blow up” or become wildly successful or powerful, often very quickly.

• Context: Describing an internet celebrity gaining thousands of followers, a meme going viral, or a player in a video game who has become so powerful they are unstoppable. “我这把起飞了!” (Wǒ zhè bǎ qǐfēi le!) means “I'm dominating this round!”
• Formality: Very informal.

• Example 1:
  • 飞机马上就要起飞了，请您坐好。
  • Pinyin: Fēijī mǎshàng jiù yào qǐfēi le, qǐng nín zuò hǎo.
  • English: The plane is about to take off, please be seated.
  • Analysis: This is the most literal and common use of the word. You will hear this on every flight in China.
• Example 2:
  • 我们的新产品一上市，销量就开始起飞。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de xīn chǎnpǐn yī shàngshì, xiāoliàng jiù kāishǐ qǐfēi.
  • English: As soon as our new product hit the market, sales began to take off.
  • Analysis: A classic business metaphor. It paints a vivid picture of sales charts pointing straight up.
• Example 3:
  • 得到这次晋升后，他的事业真正起飞了。
  • Pinyin: Dédào zhè cì jìnshēng hòu, tā de shìyè zhēnzhèng qǐfēi le.
  • English: After getting this promotion, his career really took off.
  • Analysis: This shows the personal, metaphorical use for a career trajectory.
• Example 4:
  • 过去二十年，中国经济实现了惊人的起飞。
  • Pinyin: Guòqù èrshí nián, Zhōngguó jīngjì shíxiànle jīngrén de qǐfēi.
  • English: Over the past twenty years, the Chinese economy has achieved an astonishing takeoff.
  • Analysis: Here, 起飞 (qǐfēi) is used as a noun (“a takeoff”). This is very common in economic contexts.
• Example 5:
  • 这个博主只用了一个月就起飞了，现在有上百万粉丝。
  • Pinyin: Zhège bózhǔ zhǐ yòngle yīgè yuè jiù qǐfēi le, xiànzài yǒu shàng bǎi wàn fěnsī.
  • English: This blogger took off in just one month and now has millions of fans.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of the modern, internet slang usage. “To take off” here means “to become famous” or “to blow up.”
• Example 6:
  • 你什么时候的航班？几点起飞？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shénme shíhòu de hángbān? Jǐ diǎn qǐfēi?
  • English: When is your flight? What time does it take off?
  • Analysis: A very practical, everyday question related to travel.
• Example 7:
  • 由于天气不好，所有航班都延迟起飞。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú tiānqì bù hǎo, suǒyǒu hángbān dōu yánchí qǐfēi.
  • English: Due to the bad weather, all flights' departures are delayed.
  • Analysis: Shows how the word functions with other common travel-related verbs like “delayed” (延迟, yánchí).
• Example 8:
  • 在这个项目中，我们需要一个强劲的起飞阶段。
  • Pinyin: Zài zhège xiàngmù zhōng, wǒmen xūyào yīgè qiángjìng de qǐfēi jiēduàn.
  • English: In this project, we need a strong launch phase.
  • Analysis: Again used as a noun, here 起飞 refers to the initial, critical period of a project.
• Example 9:
  • 玩游戏的时候，我拿到了最好的装备，感觉自己要起飞了！
  • Pinyin: Wán yóuxì de shíhòu, wǒ ná dàole zuì hǎo de zhuāngbèi, gǎnjué zìjǐ yào qǐfēi le!
  • English: When I was playing the game, I got the best gear and felt like I was about to take off!
  • Analysis: This is quintessential gaming slang. It means “I'm about to become unstoppable/dominate.”
• Example 10:
  • 只要我们齐心协力，公司就一定能起飞。
  • Pinyin: Zhǐyào wǒmen qíxīnxiélì, gōngsī jiù yīdìng néng qǐfēi.
  • English: As long as we work together, the company will definitely be able to take off.
  • Analysis: This sentence links the success of “taking off” with the cultural value of cooperation (齐心协力, qíxīnxiélì).

• Don't confuse with 出发 (chūfā):
  • 起飞 (qǐfēi) specifically means to lift off into the air. It is only for things that fly (planes, rockets, birds).
  • 出发 (chūfā) means to set out or depart. It can be used for any mode of transport (car, train, foot, boat).
  • Incorrect: ~~我的车早上八点起飞。~~ (My car takes off at 8 AM.)
  • Correct: 我的车早上八点出发。 (My car departs at 8 AM.)
  • Correct: 我的飞机早上八点起飞。 (My plane takes off at 8 AM.)
• Formality in Metaphorical Use: While using 起飞 (qǐfēi) to describe economic or business growth is very common, in highly formal or academic writing, more technical terms like 增长 (zēngzhǎng) (to grow/increase) or 发展 (fāzhǎn) (to develop) might be preferred for their precision and formal tone. 起飞 (qǐfēi) is more vivid and evocative, making it perfect for news headlines, presentations, and general conversation.

• 降落 (jiàngluò) - To land (an aircraft). The direct antonym of 起飞.
• 出发 (chūfā) - To set out, to depart. A general term for the start of any journey, often confused by learners.
• 发射 (fāshè) - To launch (specifically a rocket, missile, or satellite). It's more forceful and technical than 起飞.
• 火了 (huǒ le) - To become popular, to be “on fire”. A very popular slang term that is a close synonym for the metaphorical meaning of 起飞.
• 腾飞 (téngfēi) - To soar, to take off rapidly. A more literary and powerful synonym for 起飞, often used in formal speeches or writing about grand achievements.
• 发展 (fāzhǎn) - To develop, to grow. A more neutral and formal term for what happens after a business or economy “takes off”.
• 暴涨 (bàozhǎng) - To surge, to skyrocket. Often used for prices, data, or stock values, indicating an extremely rapid and almost vertical increase. It's like 起飞 but more intense and specific to numbers.