Chi (originally Qi) in essence means life force energy. This is the Taoist’s concept of the word. Chi is capable of animating matter and infusing it with life.
This would be how it received its name. Not only does it permeat the spaces in between material objects, within Taoism, it’s part of their consumption.
Chi plays a vital role for the functioning of healthy organs, the cardiovascular system and respiratory system. Through these systems the life force is able to circulate throughout the body, sending its own nutrients to all the cells of the body.
All living beings including plants, animals and human beings have a way to assimilate chi In their being. It is ingested in the food they eat and the water they drink and the air that they breathe in.
Once inside your body, chi is capable of moving to different locations in the body. The most common of these functions are generally related to the proper functioning and continued operation of the body or plant.