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槎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
槎cháraft; time, occasion; to hewng, 13 strokes, radical 木
槎cháa raft made of bamboo or woodunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木
槎cháto fell treesunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木
chá(cha2) T2
  1. 1raft; time, occasion; to hew
  2. 2a raft made of bamboo or wood
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

槎chá(cha2)

The character 槎 (chá) primarily means 'raft,' specifically referring to a structure made from bamboo or wood, often used for floating on water. It can also imply the action of hewing or felling trees, connecting the word to timber and woodworking contexts.

Strokes13Radical木
Cultural Note

Rafts have been used in traditional Chinese river transport and fishing practices, symbolizing the relationship between communities and waterways in Chinese culture. The use of bamboo in rafts signifies the resourcefulness found in rural Chinese life.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'chop' (chá) that you would make to hew a tree, which relates to both cutting and creating a raft. Visualize a raft made from wooden logs floating on a river, reminding you of the character's structure that looks like a wooden frame.

Meanings of 槎

chá(cha2)
1raft; time, occasion; to hew
2a raft made of bamboo or wood
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 槎

槎Simplified
13Strokes
木Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 槎

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Podcast: 槎

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 槎

Usage Notes

This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation, so it may be more relevant in formal or literary contexts. Students often confuse it with similar characters; ensure you remember the distinct pronunciation and meaning to avoid mix-ups.

HSK Study Tips

Although 槎 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with other characters related to wood (木) and water (水). Focus on understanding this character's components as they relate to nature and construction.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 槎 with similar-sounding characters, which can lead to incorrect meanings. For example, confusing it with 材 (cái), which means 'material' or 'timber.' Always double-check the context to ensure accuracy.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 槎

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Etymology of 槎

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

wood

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 槎

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half差 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywood
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 槎? 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 槎?

Decomposition of 槎

IDS Structure⿰木差
槎Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
差cha1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 槎?

How to say raft; time, occasion; to hew in Chinese

“raft; time, occasion; to hew” in Chinese is槎chá

The character 槎 (chá) primarily means 'raft,' specifically referring to a structure made from bamboo or wood, often used for floating on water. It can also imply the action of hewing or felling trees, connecting the word to timber and woodworking contexts.

When to use 槎

This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation, so it may be more relevant in formal or literary contexts. Students often confuse it with similar characters; ensure you remember the distinct pronunciation and meaning to avoid mix-ups.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 槎 with similar-sounding characters, which can lead to incorrect meanings. For example, confusing it with 材 (cái), which means 'material' or 'timber.' Always double-check the context to ensure accuracy.

Write 槎

槎

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 槎

Words Containing This Character1
槎cháto hew
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 槎 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 槎

It is pronounced as 'chá', with a rising tone.

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