This is the 698th most frequent Japanese word.
起き
"起き" means "waking up" or "rising."
The word "起き" is here used in its basic form as the verb "to wake up" in the present tense.
毎朝6時に起きます。
I wake up at 6 a.m. every morning.
The verb "起き" is utilized here to describe the occurrence or happening of an event.
事件が町で起きた。
An incident happened in the town.
This illustrates the negative potential form of "起き," showing inability to wake up.