开机 kāi jī
“to start an engine; to boot up (a computer); to press Ctrl-Alt-Delete”
verb2021 list level 2Traditional 開機
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
开机 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 728: 开机 kāijī — Level 3; official annotation 3 (动). PDF page 98
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 开机
开机 means to power a device on (computer, phone, machine), i.e. the device starts up; the device is usually the subject: 电脑开机了／手机开不了机. To say someone turns a device on, use 打开 or 启动 rather than putting the device directly after 开机. Its opposite is 关机.
例句Example sentences
- 这台电脑开机以后特别慢。zhè tái diàn nǎo kāi jī yǐ hòu tè bié màn.This computer is really slow after it starts up.
- 考试的时候请把手机关掉，不要开机。kǎo shì de shí hou qǐng bǎ shǒu jī guān diào, bú yào kāi jī.Please turn your phone off during the exam and don't turn it on.
- 机器开机的时候声音很大，你不用害怕。jī qì kāi jī de shí hou shēng yīn hěn dà, nǐ bú yòng hài pà.The machine is very noisy when it starts up; you don't need to be afraid.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗我每天早上开机电脑就看新闻。
✓我每天早上打开电脑就看新闻。
开机 describes the device starting up and does not take the device as its object; with an object use 打开/启动 (打开电脑), or say 电脑开机了.
易混词Easily confused
开机vs打开
打开 works for doors, windows, boxes, files and apps as well as devices; 开机 only means switching a device's power on and is intransitive in use (电脑开机了).