qí: 骑 - to ride

• Keywords: qi, qí, 骑, ride Chinese, how to say ride in Chinese, ride a horse Chinese, ride a bike Chinese, qí zìxíngchē, qí mǎ, Chinese verb for ride, 坐 vs 骑
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 骑 (qí), which means “to ride.” This page breaks down how to use 骑 (qí) correctly, focusing on its specific meaning of straddling something you ride, like a horse, bicycle, or motorcycle. Discover its cultural significance, from ancient horsemen to modern-day delivery drivers on e-scooters, and understand the crucial difference between 骑 (qí) and 坐 (zuò) to avoid common mistakes.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): qí
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: To ride (an animal, bicycle, or motorcycle); to sit astride.
• In a Nutshell: 骑 (qí) is the specific action of sitting on something with one leg on each side. Think of how you “straddle” a horse or a bicycle—that's the core physical meaning of 骑 (qí). It's different from the English word “ride,” which can also mean being a passenger inside a car or a bus. In Chinese, you 骑 (qí) a bike, but you 坐 (zuò) a bus.

• 骑 (qí) is a phono-semantic compound character, meaning it's made of two parts: one for meaning and one for sound.
• 马 (mǎ): This is the semantic (meaning) component, and it means “horse.” It's on the left and acts as the radical, indicating the character is related to horses.
• 奇 (qí): This is the phonetic (sound) component, and it's pronounced “qí.” It originally meant “strange” or “odd.”
• Together, the character combines the concept of a 马 (horse) with the sound “qí” to create the verb 骑 (qí), which originally meant “to ride a horse.” Its meaning has since expanded to include other things you straddle.

Historically, horsemanship was a critical skill in China, central to military power, transportation, and communication across its vast empire. The image of a warrior or messenger on horseback is a powerful one in Chinese history and art. This is reflected in idioms like 马到成功 (mǎ dào chéng gōng), meaning “instant success,” which literally translates to “success upon the horse's arrival.” In a more modern context, the object of 骑 (qí) has shifted dramatically, mirroring China's societal changes. In the late 20th century, China became known as the “Kingdom of Bicycles” (自行车王国 - zìxíngchē wángguó). The ability to 骑自行车 (qí zìxíngchē) was a rite of passage and a primary mode of transportation for hundreds of millions of people. Today, while bike-sharing is still popular, the most common vehicle for 骑 (qí) is the electric scooter or e-bike (电动车 - diàndòngchē). The sight of millions of people, especially delivery drivers (known as 骑手 - qíshǒu), zipping through city streets on e-scooters is a defining feature of modern urban China. This evolution from 骑马 (riding a horse) to 骑自行车 (riding a bike) to 骑电动车 (riding an e-scooter) provides a fascinating look into China's economic and social development.

骑 (qí) is an everyday verb used for specific modes of transport.

• Common Vehicles: The most frequent use is with two-wheeled vehicles you straddle.
  • 骑自行车 (qí zìxíngchē): to ride a bicycle.
  • 骑电动车 (qí diàndòngchē): to ride an electric scooter/bike. (Extremely common).
  • 骑摩托车 (qí mótuōchē): to ride a motorcycle.
• Recreational Use:
  • 骑马 (qí mǎ): to ride a horse, now almost exclusively for sport or leisure.
• Figurative and Idiomatic Use:
  • 骑驴找马 (qí lǘ zhǎo mǎ): “To ride a donkey while looking for a horse.” This popular idiom means holding onto a current (often mediocre) job or relationship while searching for a better one. It's a very practical and widely understood concept.
  • 骑在…头上 (qí zài…tóu shàng): “To ride on someone's head.” This is a negative expression meaning to bully, dominate, or push someone around.

• Example 1:
  • 我每天骑自行车上班。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ měitiān qí zìxíngchē shàngbān.
  • English: I ride my bike to work every day.
  • Analysis: A classic, simple sentence demonstrating the daily use of 骑 (qí) for commuting.
• Example 2:
  • 你会骑马吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ huì qí mǎ ma?
  • English: Can you ride a horse?
  • Analysis: Uses the modal verb 会 (huì) to ask about an acquired skill.
• Example 3:
  • 我小时候，我爸爸教我骑车。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎoshíhou, wǒ bàba jiāo wǒ qí chē.
  • English: When I was little, my dad taught me how to ride a bike.
  • Analysis: Here, “车 (chē)” is used as a shorthand for “自行车 (zìxíngchē)” as the context makes it clear.
• Example 4:
  • 在中国的大城市，很多人骑电动车。
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó de dà chéngshì, hěn duō rén qí diàndòngchē.
  • English: In China's big cities, many people ride electric scooters.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights a key aspect of modern transportation in China.
• Example 5:
  • 他正在找工作，但目前这份工作只是骑驴找马。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhèngzài zhǎo gōngzuò, dàn mùqián zhè fèn gōngzuò zhǐshì qí lǘ zhǎo mǎ.
  • English: He's looking for a new job, but his current position is just a placeholder (literally, “riding a donkey to find a horse”).
  • Analysis: A perfect example of using the idiom 骑驴找马 (qí lǘ zhǎo mǎ) in a practical context.
• Example 6:
  • 小心点儿！别骑得太快了！
  • Pinyin: Xiǎoxīn diǎnr! Bié qí de tài kuài le!
  • English: Be careful! Don't ride so fast!
  • Analysis: This shows how to use 骑 (qí) with a degree complement (得 + adverb) to describe how the action is performed.
• Example 7:
  • 外卖小哥骑着摩托车，很快就把餐送到了。
  • Pinyin: Wàimài xiǎo gē qízhe mótuōchē, hěn kuài jiù bǎ cān sòng dào le.
  • English: The delivery guy was riding a motorcycle and delivered the meal very quickly.
  • Analysis: The particle 着 (zhe) after the verb indicates the continuous state of riding.
• Example 8:
  • 爸爸让儿子骑在他的肩膀上。
  • Pinyin: Bàba ràng érzi qí zài tā de jiānbǎng shàng.
  • English: The father let his son ride on his shoulders.
  • Analysis: A figurative use of 骑 (qí) that still maintains the core meaning of straddling.
• Example 9:
  • 你是骑车来的还是坐地铁来的？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shì qí chē lái de háishì zuò dìtiě lái de?
  • English: Did you come by bike or by subway?
  • Analysis: This question directly contrasts 骑 (qí) with 坐 (zuò), which is a key distinction for learners.
• Example 10:
  • 这个成语叫骑虎难下，意思是进退两难。
  • Pinyin: Zhège chéngyǔ jiào qí hǔ nán xià, yìsi shì jìn tuì liǎng nán.
  • English: This idiom is called “it's hard to get off a tiger you are riding,” which means to be in a dilemma.
  • Analysis: Introduces a more advanced idiom, 骑虎难下 (qí hǔ nán xià), demonstrating the character's depth in the language.

The most common mistake for English speakers is confusing 骑 (qí) with 坐 (zuò). The English verb “to ride” covers both, but in Chinese, the distinction is mandatory and based on the physical action. The Rule of Thumb:

• 骑 (qí): Use for things you STRADDLE (sit with a leg on each side).
  • Bicycles (自行车), horses (马), motorcycles (摩托车), scooters (电动车).
• 坐 (zuò): Use for things you SIT IN or ON (without straddling).
  • Cars (车), buses (公共汽车), trains (火车), planes (飞机), boats (船), chairs (椅子).

Examples of Correct vs. Incorrect Usage:

• Riding a bike:
  • Correct: 我骑自行车去公园。(Wǒ qí zìxíngchē qù gōngyuán.)
  • Incorrect: 我坐自行车去公园。(Wǒ zuò zìxíngchē qù gōngyuán.) - This sounds like you are sitting on the luggage rack as a passenger.
• Riding a bus:
  • Correct: 我坐公共汽车去上班。(Wǒ zuò gōnggòng qìchē qù shàngbān.)
  • Incorrect: 我骑公共汽车去上班。(Wǒ qí gōnggòng qìchē qù shàngbān.) - This creates a comical image of you straddling the roof of the bus like it's a horse.

• 坐 (zuò) - To sit. The most important verb to contrast with 骑 (qí) when talking about transportation.
• 开 (kāi) - To drive. Used for operating cars, buses, or trucks. The driver 开 (kāi) the car, while the passengers 坐 (zuò) in it.
• 自行车 (zìxíngchē) - Bicycle. The most common object for 骑 (qí) in learning materials.
• 马 (mǎ) - Horse. The original object of the verb 骑 (qí) and its character radical.
• 电动车 (diàndòngchē) - Electric scooter/bike. A ubiquitous vehicle in modern China.
• 骑手 (qíshǒu) - A rider. In modern slang, this almost exclusively refers to food delivery or courier drivers.
• 骑虎难下 (qí hǔ nán xià) - An idiom (“to ride a tiger and be unable to dismount”) meaning to be in a difficult situation that is impossible to back out of.
• 骑墙派 (qíqiángpài) - “A fence-sitter,” someone who is neutral or refuses to take sides in a dispute. Literally, “the faction that rides the wall.”