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塊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
塊kuàipiece, lump, chunk; dollar; measure word for currencyx, 13 strokes, radical 土, rank #98853, Very Hard
kuài(kuai4)kuai T4
  1. 1piece, lump, chunk; dollar; measure word for currency
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March 24, 2026

塊kuài(kuai4)

The character 塊 (kuài) primarily means 'piece' or 'lump,' often referring to something that is chunked or broken off from a larger whole. It is also commonly used to denote currency in informal contexts, particularly when referring to the unit of the Chinese yuan. In everyday conversation, it can refer to both physical objects and money.

Strokes13Radical土Frequency#98853DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, sharing food is common, and referring to food items in terms of 'pieces' or 'chunks' is typical in conversations about meals, such as when ordering or serving dishes.

Memory tip

Imagine a big block of clay (塊) that you can easily break into smaller pieces. The shape of the character resembles a piece of clay with a flat base, reminding you that 'kuài' means a chunk or piece, and it sounds somewhat like 'quack,' which could be the sound of a duck stepping on a piece of clay.

Meanings of 塊

kuài(kuai4)
1piece, lump, chunk; dollar; measure word for currency
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 塊

塊Simplified
13Strokes
土Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 塊

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Podcast: 塊

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AI study notes for 塊

Quick Contrast

块 (kuài, piece) vs 片 (piàn, slice) — use 塊 (kuài) for chunked or whole pieces, while 片 (piàn) is for flat or thin slices.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 塊 with the more formal term 元 (yuán) when discussing money; remember that 塊 is more casual. It can also be used with other words like '一塊蛋糕' (a piece of cake) or '十塊錢' (ten yuan). Pay attention to tone, as mispronouncing it could change its meaning.

HSK Study Tips

While 塊 is not part of the HSK curriculum, it is useful for learners at the A2 level and above, especially when discussing food or finances. Students should focus on its usage as a measure word and in everyday expressions involving money.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes mistakenly use 塊 in very formal writing instead of 元 (yuán), leading to an informal tone. For example, saying '我有五塊' in a formal letter would be incorrect; instead, use '我有五元'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 塊

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Etymology of 塊

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 塊. Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 鬼 represents the sound.

Memory hint

earth

Semantic (meaning)土
+
Phonetic (sound)鬼
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

塊 = 土 + 鬼. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 塊

IDS Structure⿰土鬼
塊Full character
=
土Tu3
left
鬼gui3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 塊?

How to say piece, lump, chunk; dollar; measure word for currency in Chinese

“piece, lump, chunk; dollar; measure word for currency” in Chinese is塊kuài

The character 塊 (kuài) primarily means 'piece' or 'lump,' often referring to something that is chunked or broken off from a larger whole. It is also commonly used to denote currency in informal contexts, particularly when referring to the unit of the Chinese yuan. In everyday conversation, it can refer to both physical objects and money.

When to use 塊

Learners often confuse 塊 with the more formal term 元 (yuán) when discussing money; remember that 塊 is more casual. It can also be used with other words like '一塊蛋糕' (a piece of cake) or '十塊錢' (ten yuan). Pay attention to tone, as mispronouncing it could change its meaning.

塊 or something close to it

块 (kuài, piece) vs 片 (piàn, slice) — use 塊 (kuài) for chunked or whole pieces, while 片 (piàn) is for flat or thin slices.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes mistakenly use 塊 in very formal writing instead of 元 (yuán), leading to an informal tone. For example, saying '我有五塊' in a formal letter would be incorrect; instead, use '我有五元'.

Write 塊

塊

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

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Word Family of 塊

Words containing this character20
块kuàichunk塊
板块bǎnkuàislab板塊
地块tectonic plate地塊
一块儿yíkuàirone block一塊兒
模块functional unit模塊
冰块ice cube冰塊
大块头heavy man大塊頭
一块one block一塊
石块stone石塊
方块cube方塊
块头size塊頭
切块to cut into pieces切塊
块状lump塊狀
肿块swelling腫塊
血块blood clot血塊
模块化modularity模塊化
碎块fragment碎塊
砌块building block砌塊
砖块brick磚塊
块茎stem tuber塊莖
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 塊

What does 块 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 塊

塊 is primarily used informally for yuan. In formal contexts, use 元 (yuán) instead.

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