Where does “Ch'i” come from?

Ch'i comes from Mandarin 齊, whose ultimate origin and meaning are uncertain.

Ch'i (English): Qi, an ancient Chinese duchy, viscounty, and kingdom under the Zhou dynasty

Definitions

  1. Qi, an ancient Chinese duchy, viscounty, and kingdom under the Zhou dynasty

Ancestry of “Ch'i”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Chinese Mandarin氣—
2Middle Chinese氣spirit; breath
Every word from Middle Chinese 氣 →Every word from Chinese Mandarin 氣 →
Ch'i — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer