chi
“chi” means “yep” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
yep
Also: yeah, yiss
📝 In Action
¿Quieres ir por un helado? —¡Chi!
A1Do you want to go for ice cream? —Yep!
Ella me dijo que chi con una sonrisa.
A2She said 'yep' to me with a smile.
Chi, yo también quiero ir a la fiesta.
A1Yeah, I want to go to the party too.
chi
Also: qi, life force
📝 In Action
El chi fluye por todo el cuerpo.
B1The chi flows throughout the whole body.
Hago ejercicios para equilibrar mi chi.
B2I do exercises to balance my chi.
El Tai chi es una práctica muy relajante.
A2Tai chi is a very relaxing practice.
chi
📝 In Action
La chi es una letra del alfabeto griego.
C1The chi is a letter of the Greek alphabet.
El símbolo de la chi se parece a una equis.
C2The symbol for chi looks like an X.
En matemáticas, usamos la chi para ciertas variables.
C1In mathematics, we use the chi for certain variables.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: chi
Question 1 of 3
If your Spanish-speaking friend texts you '¿Vienes?' and you want to say 'Yes' in a cute way, what do you send?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
This word has three different origins: the Greek letter 'chi' (from the Greek 'khi'), the life force 'chi' (from the Mandarin Chinese 'qì'), and the slang 'chi' (a playful alteration of the Spanish 'sí').
First recorded: 13th century (for the letter)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'chi' a real word in Spanish?
Yes! It is the official name of the 22nd letter of the Greek alphabet. It is also a widely accepted term for life energy and a common slang word.
Can I use 'chi' to mean 'yes' at work?
No. It is very informal and sounds like a child or someone being overly 'cute'. Stick to 'sí' for work or strangers.
How do I pronounce 'chi' in Spanish?
It sounds exactly like the English word 'cheese' without the 'se'. Just a short 'chee' sound.