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Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 离开 (líkāi), which means “to leave” or “to depart from.” This page provides a deep dive for beginners, explaining how to use `离开` to talk about leaving a place, a person, or a job. We'll break down the characters, explore cultural nuances, provide over 10 practical example sentences, and clarify the crucial difference between `离开 (líkāi)` and `走 (zǒu)`.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): líkāi
Part of Speech: Verb
HSK Level: HSK 2
Concise Definition: To leave or depart from a specific place, person, or situation.
In a Nutshell: `离开` is the most common and direct way to say you are leaving *something* or *someone*. Think of it as “to separate from.” It's a transitive verb, meaning it almost always needs an object. You don't just `离开`; you `离开` [a place], `离开` [a person], or `离开` [a company]. This makes it incredibly useful and specific.
Character Breakdown
离 (lí): The core meaning of this character is “to separate,” “to be distant from,” or “to part from.” Imagine two things moving away from each other; that's the essence of `离`.
开 (kāi): This character most commonly means “to open” or “to start.” In this context, it carries the meaning of “to move away” or “to create an opening/distance.”
When combined, 离开 (líkāi) literally means “to separate and move away.” This creates a clear and unambiguous action of departing from a specific point of origin, whether it's a physical location or an emotional connection.
Cultural Context and Significance
`离开` is a very functional and neutral verb, but the act of leaving carries significant cultural weight in China. Partings, especially for long distances or periods, are often emotional and can involve formal send-offs (`送行 sòngxíng`). While the word `离开` itself is neutral, the context in which it's used can be filled with emotion.
Comparison to “To Leave” in English: In English, “to leave someone” can carry a strong, negative connotation of abandonment. In Chinese, saying `他离开了我 (tā líkāi le wǒ)`—“He left me”—is a factual statement of a breakup, and while sad, the verb itself isn't inherently as accusatory as its English counterpart can be. The emotion is understood from the context, not baked into the verb itself.
This neutrality makes `离开` a very versatile word, used in everything from literature about the sorrow of leaving one's hometown (`离开家乡 líkāi jiāxiāng`) to a simple text message saying you've left the office.
Practical Usage in Modern China
`离开` is a high-frequency word used in virtually all aspects of modern life.
Daily Conversation: Used for everyday departures.
“What time are you leaving home tomorrow?” (明天你几点离开家？)
“I have to leave the party early.” (我得早点离开派对。)
Work and Business: The standard term for leaving a job or departing for a business trip.
“She left the company last month.” (她上个月离开公司了。)
“I will leave Shanghai on Friday.” (我星期五会离开上海。)
Relationships: The standard, neutral term for breaking up or separating from someone.
“They decided to leave each other.” (他们决定离开彼此。)
Digital Communication: Very common in text messages and emails to inform others of your departure.
(WeChat message): “我已经离开了，在路上了。” (Wǒ yǐjīng líkāi le, zài lùshang le.) - “I've already left, I'm on my way.”
Example Sentences
Example 1:
他每天早上七点离开家去上班。
Pinyin: Tā měitiān zǎoshang qī diǎn líkāi jiā qù shàngbān.
English: He leaves home at 7 AM every day to go to work.
Analysis: A simple, factual sentence about a daily routine. Notice how `离开` takes a direct object: `家` (home).
Example 2:
你是什么时候离开中国的？
Pinyin: Nǐ shì shénme shíhou líkāi Zhōngguó de?
English: When did you leave China?
Analysis: A common question using the `是…的` (shì…de) structure to emphasize the time of a past action.
Example 3:
我不想离开我的朋友们。
Pinyin: Wǒ bù xiǎng líkāi wǒ de péngyoumen.
English: I don't want to leave my friends.
Analysis: Here, `离开` is used for people, expressing an emotional reluctance to separate.
English: The plane is about to leave the ground, please fasten your seatbelt.
Analysis: A formal announcement showing `离开` can mean leaving a surface, not just a location.
Example 8:
你要离开之前，记得关灯。
Pinyin: Nǐ yào líkāi zhīqián, jìde guān dēng.
English: Before you leave, remember to turn off the lights.
Analysis: Demonstrates how to use `离开` with `之前` (zhīqián) to mean “before leaving.”
Example 9:
他一句话也没说就离开了。
Pinyin: Tā yī jù huà yě méi shuō jiù líkāi le.
English: He left without saying a single word.
Analysis: This sentence structure highlights the abruptness of the departure. Note that even without a stated object, it's implied he left “the place where they were.”
Example 10:
为了我们的未来，我必须暂时离开你。
Pinyin: Wèile wǒmen de wèilái, wǒ bìxū zànshí líkāi nǐ.
English: For the sake of our future, I must temporarily leave you.
Analysis: A more dramatic and emotional use, common in movies or novels, showing a reluctant but necessary separation.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
`离开 (líkāi)` vs. `走 (zǒu)`: The #1 Mistake for Learners
This is the most common point of confusion. The rule is simple:
`离开 (líkāi)` is transitive: It needs an object. You leave something.
Correct: 我要离开办公室。(Wǒ yào líkāi bàngōngshì.) - I need to leave the office.
Incorrect: 我要走办公室。
`走 (zǒu)` is intransitive: It means “to go,” “to walk,” or “to leave (in general).” It does not take an object. It's often used to announce your departure.
Analysis: In the sentence “我要走了,” you aren't specifying *what* you are leaving, you are just stating the action of going. If you want to specify the place, you must switch to `离开`.
Using `离不开 (lí bu kāi)`
Learners sometimes try to say “I can't leave” by saying `我不能离开 (wǒ bù néng líkāi)`. This is grammatically correct, but it means “I am not allowed to leave” or “I am physically unable to leave.”
To express dependence or the idea of “I can't live/function without X,” you must use the fixed structure `离不开 (lí bu kāi)`.
Example: 我现在真的离不开我的手机。(Wǒ xiànzài zhēn de lí bu kāi wǒ de shǒujī.) - I really can't do without my phone now.
Related Terms and Concepts
走 (zǒu) - To go, to walk. The intransitive counterpart to `离开`. You use it to announce you are going, without specifying from where.
出发 (chūfā) - To set off, to depart. More formal than `离开` and emphasizes the *start* of a journey or trip.
分别 (fēnbié) - To part, to separate. Carries a more emotional and formal weight than `离开`. Often used for long-term goodbyes between people.
辞职 (cízhí) - To resign. A very specific type of `离开`: to leave a job.
分手 (fēnshǒu) - To break up. A very specific type of `离开`: to leave a romantic partner.
告别 (gàobié) - To say goodbye, to bid farewell. This is the verbal *act* of saying goodbye, which often happens right before you `离开`.
离不开 (lí bu kāi) - Unable to separate from, indispensable. The important negative potential form of `离开` showing dependence.