Pronounced “chee.” There is no single English word that can adequately convey the meaning of Qi. Qi is both a physical substance and a nonphysical energy. When Qi is spread out, it is energy, and when it congeals, it is substance. Movements and changes of Qi are used to explain all phenomenons in the universe. In the human body, Qi has six basic functions: warming, protecting (immunity), nourishing, transforming (extracting nutrients from food, filtering out wastes, etc.), holding things in place (keeping blood inside blood vessels, preventing organ prolapse, etc.), and promoting growth.
A Chinese term for vital energy or life force. In traditional Chinese medicine, qi is believed to regulate a person’s spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical balance, and to be influenced by the opposing forces of yin and yang.