====== shēngqí: 升旗 - To Raise a Flag, Flag-Raising ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** shengqi, 升旗, raise the flag in Chinese, Chinese flag raising, Tiananmen Square flag raising, flag ceremony China, Chinese patriotism, national flag of China
  * **Summary:** Learn how to use **升旗 (shēngqí)**, the Chinese term for "to raise a flag." This entry explores how this simple phrase represents more than just an action; it's a key part of daily life and national identity in China. From solemn school ceremonies to the world-famous daily Tiananmen Square flag raising, understanding **升旗 (shēngqí)** offers a deep insight into modern Chinese culture and patriotism.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** shēngqí
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb-Object phrase (functions as a verb)
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 4
  * **Concise Definition:** To raise or hoist a flag.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **升旗 (shēngqí)** is the formal act of raising a flag, usually the national flag, up a flagpole. While it translates directly, the term is packed with ceremonial weight. It's not about casually hanging a flag on a wall; it's about a structured, respectful ritual that signifies patriotism, order, and collective identity, performed everywhere from schools to the heart of the nation in Beijing.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **升 (shēng):** This character means "to rise," "to ascend," or "to go up." You can think of it as depicting something moving upwards from a base.
  * **旗 (qí):** This character means "flag" or "banner."
  * The characters combine in a very direct and logical way: **升 (shēng)** "to rise" + **旗 (qí)** "flag" = to make the flag rise, or "to raise the flag."
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
The act of **升旗 (shēngqí)** is a deeply significant ritual in modern China, acting as a constant and visible reinforcement of national pride and unity.
The most iconic example is the daily flag-raising ceremony in **天安门广场 (Tiān'ānmén Guǎngchǎng)**, Tiananmen Square, in Beijing. Performed by a specially trained, elite guard of soldiers, the flag is raised precisely at the moment of sunrise and lowered at sunset. Thousands of tourists and citizens gather in the pre-dawn cold every day to witness this solemn, highly choreographed event, which is also broadcast nationally. It's a powerful symbol of state power, national dignity, and collective identity.
This can be contrasted with flag-raising in Western countries like the United States. While Americans display patriotism by raising the flag at homes, schools, and sporting events, it is often a more decentralized and individual act. The Tiananmen ceremony, by contrast, is a centralized, state-run ritual that the entire nation can watch and participate in vicariously. It reflects a more collectivist value, where patriotism is expressed through shared, organized, and uniform public ceremony. In China, especially for the younger generation, the weekly school **升旗仪式 (shēngqí yíshì)**, or flag-raising ceremony, is a formative experience that instills a sense of national identity and discipline from an early age.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**升旗 (shēngqí)** is used in formal and official contexts. It's not a casual term.
  * **In Schools:** Nearly every school in China, from elementary to university, holds a flag-raising ceremony, typically every Monday morning. Students and teachers gather in the schoolyard to watch the flag be raised while singing the national anthem. It is a mandatory part of the school week.
  * **Government and Military:** All government buildings and military bases conduct daily flag-raising ceremonies.
  * **National Holidays:** On holidays like National Day (国庆节 Guóqìngjié), **升旗 (shēngqí)** ceremonies are held nationwide with extra pomp and circumstance.
  * **As a Noun:** The term can also refer to the event itself. For example, "去看升旗 (qù kàn shēngqí)" means "to go watch the flag-raising."
The connotation is always one of solemnity, respect, and seriousness. Joking during a **升旗 (shēngqí)** ceremony would be considered highly inappropriate.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 每天早上八点，我们学校都举行**升旗**仪式。
    * Pinyin: Měitiān zǎoshang bā diǎn, wǒmen xuéxiào dōu jǔxíng **shēngqí** yíshì.
    * English: Every morning at 8 o'clock, our school holds a flag-raising ceremony.
    * Analysis: This is a very common scenario describing the routine of school life in China. `仪式 (yíshì)` means "ceremony."
  * **Example 2:**
    * 去北京旅游，我最想看的就是天安门**升旗**。
    * Pinyin: Qù Běijīng lǚyóu, wǒ zuì xiǎng kàn de jiùshì Tiān'ānmén **shēngqí**.
    * English: When I travel to Beijing, the thing I want to see most is the Tiananmen flag-raising.
    * Analysis: Here, **升旗 (shēngqí)** is used as a noun, referring to the event itself.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 负责**升旗**的士兵们经过了非常严格的训练。
    * Pinyin: Fùzé **shēngqí** de shìbīngmen jīngguòle fēicháng yángé de xùnliàn.
    * English: The soldiers responsible for raising the flag have gone through very rigorous training.
    * Analysis: This sentence highlights the seriousness and professionalism associated with the act, particularly in official contexts.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 国庆节那天，成千上万的人在广场上等待**升旗**。
    * Pinyin: Guóqìngjié nàtiān, chéngqiān shàngwàn de rén zài guǎngchǎng shàng děngdài **shēngqí**.
    * English: On National Day, thousands upon thousands of people waited in the square for the flag-raising.
    * Analysis: This sentence paints a picture of the scale and public importance of the event on national holidays.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 奏国歌的时候，所有人都要肃立，向国旗**敬礼**。然后开始**升旗**。
    * Pinyin: Zòu guógē de shíhou, suǒyǒu rén dōu yào sùlì, xiàng guóqí **jìnglǐ**. Ránhòu kāishǐ **shēngqí**.
    * English: When the national anthem is played, everyone must stand solemnly and salute the flag. Then the flag-raising begins.
    * Analysis: This example shows the sequence of events in a typical ceremony and introduces the related term [[敬礼]] (jìnglǐ), to salute.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 他很自豪，因为他被选为学校的**升旗**手。
    * Pinyin: Tā hěn zìháo, yīnwèi tā bèi xuǎn wéi xuéxiào de **shēngqí** shǒu.
    * English: He is very proud because he was chosen to be the school's flag-raiser.
    * Analysis: `升旗手 (shēngqí shǒu)` literally means "flag-raising hand," and is the title for the person assigned the honor of raising the flag.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 由于大雨，今天的**升旗**仪式被取消了。
    * Pinyin: Yóuyú dàyǔ, jīntiān de **shēngqí** yíshì bèi qǔxiāole.
    * English: Due to heavy rain, today's flag-raising ceremony was canceled.
    * Analysis: A practical sentence showing how the event might be referred to in daily announcements.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 奥运会上，当运动员赢得金牌时，会场会为他们**升旗**。
    * Pinyin: Àoyùnhuì shàng, dāng yùndòngyuán yíngdé jīnpái shí, huìchǎng huì wèi tāmen **shēngqí**.
    * English: At the Olympics, when an athlete wins a gold medal, the venue will raise the flag for them.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates the use of the term in an international, formal context.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 游客们凌晨三点就起床，为了占据观看**升旗**的最佳位置。
    * Pinyin: Yóukèmen língchén sān diǎn jiù qǐchuáng, wèile zhànjù guānkàn **shēngqí** de zuìjiā wèizhì.
    * English: The tourists got up at 3 a.m. in order to get the best spot to watch the flag-raising.
    * Analysis: This illustrates the dedication and popularity of the Tiananmen ceremony.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 每次观看**升旗**，他都感到一种强烈的民族自豪感。
    * Pinyin: Měi cì guānkàn **shēngqí**, tā dōu gǎndào yī zhǒng qiángliè de mínzú zìháogǎn.
    * English: Every time he watches the flag-raising, he feels a strong sense of national pride.
    * Analysis: This sentence directly connects the act of **升旗 (shēngqí)** to the feeling it is meant to inspire: `民族自豪感 (mínzú zìháogǎn)`, or national pride.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **Formal vs. Casual "Putting up a flag":** The most common mistake for learners is to use **升旗 (shēngqí)** for any act of displaying a flag. **升旗 (shēngqí)** specifically means the ceremonial raising of a flag on a flagpole. If you are just tacking a flag to a wall or putting a small decorative flag on your desk, you would //not// use **升旗 (shēngqí)**. For sticking a flag into the ground or a base, you might use [[插旗]] (chāqí).
    * //Incorrect:// 我在我的房间里**升旗**了。(Wǒ zài wǒ de fángjiān lǐ shēngqí le.) - This sounds very strange, as if you have a formal flagpole ceremony in your bedroom.
    * //Correct:// 我在墙上挂了一面国旗。(Wǒ zài qiáng shàng guàle yī miàn guóqí.) - "I hung a national flag on the wall."
  * **Verb-Object Structure:** Remember that **升旗 (shēngqí)** is a verb-object phrase. This means you can insert descriptors between the verb and the object. For example:
    * **升**五星红**旗** (**shēng** wǔxīng hóng**qí**) - To raise the Five-star Red Flag.
    * **升**一面**旗** (**shēng** yī miàn **qí**) - To raise a flag.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[国旗]] (guóqí) - National flag. The specific type of flag most often raised during a **升旗 (shēngqí)** ceremony.
  * [[降旗]] (jiàngqí) - To lower the flag. The direct antonym of **升旗 (shēngqí)**, which happens at sunset.
  * [[仪式]] (yíshì) - Ceremony. Very frequently used together: **升旗仪式 (shēngqí yíshì)**.
  * [[天安门广场]] (Tiān'ānmén Guǎngchǎng) - Tiananmen Square. The most famous and symbolic location for **升旗 (shēngqí)** in China.
  * [[国歌]] (guógē) - National anthem. The song that is always played during the raising of the national flag.
  * [[爱国主义]] (àiguózhǔyì) - Patriotism. The core value and emotion that the **升旗 (shēngqí)** ceremony is intended to foster.
  * [[敬礼]] (jìnglǐ) - To salute. The formal gesture of respect performed while the flag is being raised.
  * [[五星红旗]] (wǔxīng hóngqí) - The Five-star Red Flag. The official name for the national flag of the People's Republic of China.