离开
HSK 3 (exam 2025)HSK 2 (2021)Old HSK 3
离开 (líkāi) · to leave
离开 (líkāi) means “to leave; to depart”. It is written with 2 characters: 离 (away from) + 开 (to open). It is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 离开 is built
The characters
离 lí · away from
What 离 is made of
- 亠tóu — lid
- 丶 — dot
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 凶xiōng — culprit
- 凵qiǎn — container
- 乂yì — crossed strokes
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 禸róu — rump
Origin hint: An animal standing straight; 亠 is the head (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
开 kāi · to open
What 开 is made of
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 廾gǒng — two hands
Origin hint: Simplified form of 開; hands 廾 lifting the latch 一 of a door (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
他已经离开了。Tā yǐjīng líkāi le.He has already left.
你什么时候离开北京？Nǐ shénme shíhou líkāi Běijīng?When are you leaving Beijing?
Questions about 离开
What does 离开 mean?
离开 (líkāi) means “to leave; to depart”.
How do you pronounce 离开?
离开 is pronounced líkāi.
Which HSK level is 离开?
离开 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021) and Old HSK 3.
Related words
- 离婚líhūnto divorce
- 距离jùlídistance
- 离不开líbukāican't do without
- 隔离gélíto isolate
- 脱离tuōlíto break away from
- 远离yuǎnlíto stay away from
- 离líaway from
- 打开dǎkāito open
- 开车kāichēto drive
- 开会kāihuìto have a meeting
Learn 离开 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 33: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.