chi

Etymology 1

From Latin chī, from Ancient Greek χεῖ (kheî).

noun

1. The twenty-second letter of the Classical and Modern Greek alphabets.

Etymology 2

From the Mandarin 氣／气 (qì) from the Wade–Giles romanization: chʻi⁴, from Middle Chinese 氣 (MC khj+jH), from Old Chinese 氣 (OC *kʰɯds, “breath, vapor”). Compare modern Japanese 気(き) (ki), Korean 기(氣) (gi) and Vietnamese khí (氣).

noun

1. (philosophy) A life force in traditional Chinese philosophy, culture, medicine, etc, related (but not limited) to breath and circulation.
   Early Taoist philosophers and alchemists regarded ch'i as a vital force inhering in the breath and bodily fluids and developed techniques to alter and control the movement of ch'i within the body; their aim was to achieve physical longevity and spiritual power.] [1987, “ch'i”, in Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th edition, volume 3, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 186, column 3
   He took several deep breaths, finding his chi as Butler had taught him. 2001, Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl, Viking Press, page 196
   At the greenmarket, it’s still mostly potatoes and apples. There are no tender greens, fava beans, peas, asparagus, artichokes, sorrel, rhubarb or early strawberries. Those harbingers of the season are said to be full of chi, or qi, the Chinese word for life force. We’re craving them as we’re craving lighter, brighter-tasting meals, food that is greener and fresher. April 2, 2013, David Tanis, “Hurry Up, Spring”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2013-04-02, Dining & Wine
   According to traditional Chinese medicine, blood carries chi, your “life force,” which fuels all the functions of the body. When you lose blood, you lose chi, and this causes your body to go into a state of yin (cold). When yin (cold) and yang (hot) are out of balance, your body will suffer physical disorders. January 8, 2017, Leslie Hsu Oh, “I tried the Chinese practice of ‘sitting the month’ after childbirth”, in The Washington Post, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2017-01-08, Health & Science

Etymology 3

From the pinyin romanization of Mandarin 尺 (chǐ). Doublet of chek.

noun

1. The Chinese foot, a traditional Chinese unit of length based on the human forearm.
2. (Mainland China) The Chinese unit of length standardized in 1984 as ¹/₃ of a meter.
3. (Taiwan) The Taiwanese unit of length standardized as ¹⁰/₃₃ of a meter, identical to the Japanese shaku.
4. (Hong Kong) The chek or Hong Kong foot, a unit of length standardized as 0.371475 meters.

Etymology 4

noun

1. Clipping of chihuahua.