chi English · revision 15173
17 Oct 2026, 15:35 by bogdan “en10k b0398: sixteen … ref” current version
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+ Chi, the Greek letter, and chi, vital energy in Chinese thought, are separate words.^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998)
+
+ {{homograph|1|Greek letter}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1400|origins=grc χῖ}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /kaɪ/^(Roach et al. 2011)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ The letter name is [[bor|grc|χῖ|tr=khî]], earlier [[m|grc|χεῖ|tr=kheî]].^(MWU 2024)^(Chambers 2008)^(AHD 2000) It stood for a kh sound (see [[ch]]), and its X shape made the name a sign of things placed crosswise, as in [[m|grc|χίασμα|tr=khíasma|t=two things placed crosswise]] (see [[chiasmus]]).^(Etymonline) Some Greek dialects used it for the ks sound of xi,^(Etymonline) and Latin took this over, so in alphabets derived from Latin its value is that of English X.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The name of χ, the 22nd letter of the Greek alphabet: about 1400 in the OED, the 15th century in Merriam-Webster.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ As a Greek numeral χ stood for 600, and in inscriptions for 1,000.^(Chambers 2008) The ''chi-square'' test of statistics, which measures goodness of fit, is named from the letter.^(Collins 2023)^(COED 2004)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 1400 – the letter name.^(OED 1989)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # The 22nd letter of the [[Greek]] alphabet (Χ, χ), transliterated ''ch'' or ''kh''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ {{homograph|2|vital energy}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1850|origins=zh 氣}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /tʃiː/^(Roach et al. 2011)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ The vital energy is [[bor|zh|氣|tr=qì|t=air, breath, spirit]],^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998)^(AHD 2000) also written ch'i or qi.^(MWU 2024)^(AHD 2000)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Vital energy: 1850.^(MW Collegiate)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1850 – chi, vital energy.^(MW Collegiate)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # In [[Taoism]] and other Chinese thought, the vital force believed to animate the body and to be present in all things; it is central to [[acupuncture]] and to exercises such as [[tai chi]].^(AHD 2000)^(MWU 2024)
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[chiasmus]]
+ * [[chi-square]]
+ * [[qi]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}