‘乞假’ is a formal, literary verb meaning 'to request leave'—typically from work, school, or official duties. The character 乞 (qǐ) means 'to beg' or 'to request humbly', conveying deference and respect; 假 (jià) means 'leave' or 'vacation'. Together, they express a polite, somewhat ceremonial act of seeking permission to be absent—common in classical Chinese and still used today in formal writing, official notices, or respectful spoken contexts such as addressing a superior.

This term carries a tone of humility and formality not found in everyday alternatives like 请假 (qǐng jià). It’s frequently seen in historical texts, formal letters, academic settings, or bureaucratic communications. While grammatically a verb, it functions as an intransitive or transitive verb depending on context: one may 乞假 (request leave) or 乞假三日 (request three days’ leave). Its usage signals seriousness and propriety, distinguishing it from casual or colloquial expressions of absence.