'Yì qǐ' literally combines 'yì' (one) and 'qǐ' (to rise, to begin), suggesting people or things starting or acting as a single unit — hence its core meaning 'together'. It functions almost exclusively as an adverb modifying verbs, indicating joint action or shared location. You’ll hear it constantly in daily conversations: inviting someone out ('Let’s go together'), describing shared experiences ('We studied together'), or confirming co-presence ('Are you coming together?'). Unlike English 'together', it never stands alone as a noun or subject.

It typically appears after the subject and before the verb (e.g., 'Wǒmen yì qǐ chīfàn'), though it may also appear at the end of a clause for emphasis. It implies cooperation, simultaneity, or physical proximity—not just coincidence. While 'yì qǐ' can occasionally appear with nouns in fixed phrases like 'yì qǐ rén' (a group of people), this usage is rare and stylistically marked; learners should treat it primarily as an adverb.