How to Write 迄 (qì) — Meaning “until; up to”

Imagine a beggar (乞) walking (辶) along a road until he reaches a destination. This visual of movement up to a final point helps recall the meaning "until" or "up to."

Write the 辶 radical first, starting with the left-falling stroke, then the horizontal and vertical turns. Next write 乞 on the right: the top stroke (a short left-falling stroke) then the horizontal stroke with a hook, and finally the vertical stroke with a hook. Common mistakes include making the 辶 too narrow or the 乞 component too large, which unbalances the character.

While all three have the 辶 radical, 迄 (qì) means "up to now" or "until," 巡 (xún) means "to patrol" or "to inspect," and 边 (biān) means "side" or "edge." Visually, 迄 uses 乞 on the right, 巡 uses 川 (river), and 边 uses 力 (strength). Their meanings and uses are distinct; 迄 focuses on a point in time, not space.

迄 is most commonly used in formal or written contexts, especially in the phrase 迄今 (qì jīn) meaning "so far" or "up to now." Another common phrase is 迄今为止 (qì jīn wéi zhǐ), used in news or academic writing to indicate a current state. It is not used in everyday conversation, making it a literary character.

Common words containing 迄 include: 迄今 (qì jīn) — so far; up to now; 迄今为止 (qì jīn wéi zhǐ) — up to now; so far; 迄未 (qì wèi) — not yet (up to now).