rouse, wake up, get up
起 centers on the action of rising or causing to rise: waking up, getting up from rest, or rousing someone into activity.
起 combines 走 (run) with 巳, which likely contributes the sound and may represent a person rising. The character originally depicted someone starting to move or stand up.
The running radical 走 suggests movement, and the inner 巳 looks like a curled-up person. Imagine someone uncurling and springing up from bed: 起 is to wake up and get moving.
For キ, picture a key turning in a lock to rouse a sleepy person: key -> キ, and the sound of the key wakes them up.
to occur; to happen
to get up; to rise; to blaze up (fire)
to raise; to raise up; to set up; to pick up
startup; booting up; activation; starting (e.g. engine, computer); launch
erection (of the penis); becoming erect; stiffening
prosecution; indictment
appointment (to a position, job, etc.); being used for a role; promotion
to cause; to induce; to bring about; to provoke
origin; beginning; source
getting up early; early rising
raising (a question); posing (a problem); bringing up (an issue); presenting
arousal; excitation; awakening; evocation
to be caused by; to result from; to arise from; to stem from; to be due to
omen; sign of luck
protuberance; projection; prominence; protrusion; bump; boss; process; apophysis
starting point; origin
rising (from one's bed); getting up; getting out of bed
ignition; detonation; triggering; explosion
comeback; recovery; restoration; rally
standing up
desperate; frantic; excited; worked up; heated; eager
protuberance; bulge; protrusion; projection; swell
undulation
rising to action; standing up against; jumping to one's feet
stirring; rousing oneself
originator; promoter
to rise; to get up; to stand up; to sit up
revival from the brink of death; recovering from a hopeless situation; resuscitation; revitalization
to recall; to remember
drafting (e.g. a bill); drawing up
issuing of bonds
setting to work
nonprosecution; nonindictment
restart; reboot
tumbler; self-righting doll
suspension of indictment; leaving charge on the file