Kilo Lingo

(lí kāi) - to leave, to depart from in Mandarin

kāi

Traditional: 離開

Line drawing of 离开
Coloured illustration of 离开
HSK 2
#169 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

to leave, to depart from

Word origin

离开 means to leave or depart. 离 (lí) is to part from (traditional 離, 隹 'bird' radical with phonetic 离). 开 (kāi) is to open (from 開, hands unbarring a gate), here giving a sense of moving away.

Origin
compound
Root
离 (lí, to part) + 开 (kāi, to open/away)

Stroke order

Stroke order for 离

Stroke order for 开

Examples

He has left.

Please don't leave me.

I am leaving this city tomorrow.

He left home last night.

zuò

Please do not leave your seat.

离开 (lí kāi) means to leave, to depart from. It is used as a verb in everyday Mandarin speech.

Where this fits

Used in

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Mandarin · Free printables

离开: worksheet, infographic and listicle

Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "离开" (to leave, to depart from): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.

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This word is part of lesson 4.