Chee
/tʃiː/noun
A variant English spelling of chi or qi, referring to vital energy or life force in Chinese thought.
Did you know?The Chinese character 氣 historically evoked vapor or breath—and its traditional form 氣 visually combines steam with rice, linking nourishment, air, and vitality.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese, 1st millennium BCE
Old Chinese
氣
“Air, breath, vapor, or the material force associated with life”
Middle Chinese, 6th–10th centuries
Middle Chinese
khjɨjH
“Breath, air, vapor, or vital influence”
16th–19th centuries
Mandarin Chinese
qì
“Air, breath, vital energy, or animating force”
19th Century
English transliteration
ch'i
“A system of transliterating Chinese qì, pronounced approximately “chee””
20th Century
English
chee
“A phonetic or variant spelling of chi or qi, especially in popular writing”
Modern English
English
chee
“Vital energy or life force, generally in descriptions of Chinese philosophy and practices”