开 kāi
“to open (transitive or intransitive); (of ships, vehicles, troops etc) to start; to turn on; to put in operation; to operate; to run”
verb, measure wordHSK 1 · 2021 list level 1Traditional 開
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
开 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 97: 开 kāi — Level 1; official annotation 1 (动). PDF page 82
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 开
开 means "to open" (a door, window or shop) and also "to turn on" a device (开灯, 开电视) and "to drive" (开车). The thing affected normally comes right after it (开门, 开灯), and it can also be used without an object (商店八点开门).
例句Example sentences
- 请开门。qǐng kāi mén.Please open the door.
- 屋里很黑，开灯吧。wū lǐ hěn hēi, kāi dēng ba.It's dark in the room, turn on the light.
- 这家商店早上八点开门。zhè jiā shāng diàn zǎo shàng bā diǎn kāi mén.This shop opens at eight in the morning.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗我开一本书。
✓我打开一本书。
开 does not take 书 as its object; for opening a book, use 打开.
易混词Easily confused
开vs打开
开 and 打开 both work with doors, windows, boxes and bottles, but 打开 stresses opening something up and is the usual choice for books, bags and packages. 开 also covers turning things on (开灯, 开电视) and driving (开车), senses 打开 does not have.