How to Write 企 (qǐ) — Meaning “to stand on tiptoe / to hope for / enterprise”

Picture a person (人) standing on their toes (止 representing feet) to see over a wall, symbolizing "to hope for" or "attempt." Alternatively, think of the shape of a penguin (企鹅), which often stands upright on its toes, matching both the character's form and its use in the word for penguin.

Write the top 人 first: left-falling stroke, then right-falling stroke. Then write the bottom 止: vertical stroke, horizontal stroke, left vertical stroke, and finally the bottom horizontal. A common mistake is writing the third stroke of 止 as the bottom horizontal instead of the left vertical; also ensure the 人 part is not too wide so the character stays balanced.

The top of 企 is 人 (person) while 今 has a dot above a turning stroke (乛) and 介 has 人 over two parallel strokes (丿丨). In meaning, 今 means "now," 介 means "introduce" or "scale," and 企 relates to standing on tiptoe or enterprise. Visually, 止 at the bottom of 企 is unique with its horizontal and vertical strokes.

企 appears in common words like 企业 (qǐyè, enterprise/company) and 企图 (qǐtú, attempt/scheme). It is also used in 企鹅 (qǐ'é, penguin), which literally means "hoping goose" but refers to the bird's upright posture. In Chinese business culture, 企业 is a standard term for any company, reflecting ambition and striving.

Common words containing 企 include: 企业 (qǐ yè) — enterprise / business / company; 企图 (qǐ tú) — attempt / scheme; 企鹅 (qǐ é) — Penguin.