气qì

In Traditional Chinese, the simplified 气 (qì, 'vital energy, breath') is derived from the traditional 氣, which originally showed steam rising from rice (米) inside a container, symbolizing vapor or life force. The simplified form drops the 'rice' component, leaving the '气' radical that still conveys the idea of air or energy, as seen in 天气 (weather), 气球 (balloon), and 气血 (qi and blood). The traditional 氣 remains in use in contexts that emphasize the fuller semantic field of breath, spirit, and material essence.