起码

• Pinyin: qǐ mǎ
• Hanzi breakdown: 起 = 走 (walk) + 己 (self), to rise/start; 码 = 石 (stone) + 马 (horse), counter/marker

Meaning

At least; at minimum; basic. The lowest acceptable level or standard.

Used as an adverb to set a minimum expectation: 起码要花三天 (at least three days). Also used as an adjective for basic requirements: 起码的尊重 (basic respect). Synonymous with 至少 but slightly more colloquial.

Examples

1. 学好一门外语起码需要三到五年时间。 Learning a foreign language well takes at least three to five years.
2. 你起码应该提前通知我一声。 You should have at least notified me in advance.
3. 这是做人起码的道理。 This is a basic principle of being a decent person.

Usage Guide

Context: expectations, requirements, everyday

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 起码得准备一个月吧。(You need at least a month to prepare.)
• 这是起码的礼貌。(This is basic courtesy.)

Don't Say

• 起码一个。(In formal writing, 至少 is preferred over 起码)

Origin & History

起 (qǐ, to start) + 码 (mǎ, marker/counter). The starting point; the baseline.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal