Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
匧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
匧qiètrunk, suitcase; portfoliox, 9 strokes, radical 匚
匧qièold variant of 篋|箧[qie4]unknown, 9 strokes, radical 匚
qiè(qie4) T4
  1. 1trunk, suitcase; portfolio
  2. 2old variant of 篋|箧[qie4]
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

匧qiè(qie4)

The character 匧 (qiè) primarily refers to a trunk or suitcase, often used for storage or travel. It can also denote a portfolio or case for carrying items. While it is less commonly used today, it serves as an old variant of the characters 篋 or 箧, which have similar meanings.

Strokes9Radical匚
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, trunks or suitcases were essential for travel, particularly during the imperial era when officials would journey with important documents and belongings. The character reflects the historical significance of carrying one's possessions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large trunk (匧) that you pack with essentials for a journey. The character is composed of the radical 匚, resembling a box or container, suggesting storage, while the pronunciation 'qiè' sounds like 'kit', as in a travel kit. Picture this trunk being filled with items to easily remember its meaning.

Meanings of 匧

qiè(qie4)
1trunk, suitcase; portfolio
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 匧

匧Simplified
9Strokes
匚Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 匧

JasonAmy

Podcast: 匧

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 匧

Usage Notes

Learners may confuse 匧 with similar characters like 箧 (qiè), which can create misunderstanding. It's more common to encounter its variants in everyday language. Be aware of the context when using it, as it leans towards literary or historical usage rather than modern conversation.

HSK Study Tips

As an uncommon character, 匧 does not appear in the HSK vocabulary lists, but understanding it can provide insight into the evolution of characters and broaden your vocabulary. Focus on recognizing it within context rather than using it in conversation.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 匧 with characters that have similar sounds or appearances. For example, using it interchangeably with 箧 in conversation would be incorrect; use 箧 for modern contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 匧

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 匧 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 匧

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

box

Semantic (meaning)匚
+
Phonetic (sound)夾
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 匧

  1. 1The meaning half匚 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half夾 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaybox
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 匧? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 匧?

Decomposition of 匧

IDS Structure⿷匚夾
匧Full Character
=
匚fang1
enclosing
夾jia1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 匧?

How to say trunk, suitcase; portfolio in Chinese

“trunk, suitcase; portfolio” in Chinese is匧qiè

The character 匧 (qiè) primarily refers to a trunk or suitcase, often used for storage or travel. It can also denote a portfolio or case for carrying items. While it is less commonly used today, it serves as an old variant of the characters 篋 or 箧, which have similar meanings.

When to use 匧

Learners may confuse 匧 with similar characters like 箧 (qiè), which can create misunderstanding. It's more common to encounter its variants in everyday language. Be aware of the context when using it, as it leans towards literary or historical usage rather than modern conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 匧 with characters that have similar sounds or appearances. For example, using it interchangeably with 箧 in conversation would be incorrect; use 箧 for modern contexts.

Write 匧

匧

Practice writing 匧 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Frequently Asked Questions about 匧

匧 is an older variant that refers to trunks or suitcases, while 箧 is the more commonly used character today.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 匧?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.