Meaning
开 is one of the most fundamental and versatile verbs in Mandarin. Its core meaning is 'to open' but it extends to starting, activating, or operating things. It can mean physically opening doors or containers, turning on devices, starting meetings or businesses, and even driving vehicles.
Usage
Native speakers use 开 in countless daily contexts: opening doors (开门), turning on lights (开灯), driving cars (开车), holding meetings (开会), and blooming flowers (花开). It's often paired with complements like 开始 for emphasis on beginning. The verb is extremely productive and combines with many nouns to form verb-object compounds.
Examples
- 01请把窗户开一下。.Please open the window.
- 02他每天开车上班。.He drives to work every day.
Common collocations
- 开门to open the door
- 开车to drive a car
- 开会to hold a meeting
- 开灯to turn on the light
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 開 shows two hands (廾) pushing open a gate or bar (門). The simplified form 开 reduces this to a simpler structure while maintaining the phonetic component.