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March 24, 2026
盔kuī(kui1)
The character 盔 (kuī) primarily means 'helmet,' a protective headgear typically used in combat or certain sports. In broader contexts, it can also refer to a type of bowl or basin. It is commonly associated with safety and protection, both in historical and modern settings.
Strokes11Radical皿Frequency#22870DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In ancient China, helmets were not only functional but also symbolized status and bravery in battle, reflecting the importance of protection in both warfare and cultural identity.
Memory Tip
Imagine a warrior wearing a shiny helmet (盔) that looks like a bowl on his head, protecting him from danger. The character has a top part that resembles the outline of a helmet, which helps you recall its meaning and pronunciation.
Meanings of 盔
kuī(kui1)
1helmet; bowl, basin
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 盔
盔Simplified
11Strokes
皿Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 盔
Podcast: 盔
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AI Study Notes for 盔
Usage Notes
While 盔 is often used in formal contexts, such as military or historical discussions, it may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar characters like 鎧 (kǎi), which also relates to protective gear but specifically refers to armor.
HSK Study Tips
Since 盔 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it is useful to connect it with words related to safety or protection, such as 安全 (ānquán). Focus on recognizing the character in context, especially in reading military or historical texts.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 盔 interchangeably with other words for headgear like 帽子 (màozi) which means 'hat.' Remember, 盔 specifically refers to helmets, not just any head covering.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 盔
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Phonosemantic compound. 皿 represents the meaning and 灰 represents the sound.
1The meaning half皿 carries the sense.
2The sound half灰 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaydish
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 盔? 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 盔?
Decomposition of 盔
IDS Structure⿱灰皿
盔Full Character
=
灰hui1
top
皿min3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 盔?
How to say helmet; bowl, basin in Chinese
“helmet; bowl, basin” in Chinese is盔kuī
The character 盔 (kuī) primarily means 'helmet,' a protective headgear typically used in combat or certain sports. In broader contexts, it can also refer to a type of bowl or basin. It is commonly associated with safety and protection, both in historical and modern settings.
When to use 盔
While 盔 is often used in formal contexts, such as military or historical discussions, it may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar characters like 鎧 (kǎi), which also relates to protective gear but specifically refers to armor.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 盔 interchangeably with other words for headgear like 帽子 (màozi) which means 'hat.' Remember, 盔 specifically refers to helmets, not just any head covering.
Write 盔
盔
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Practice writing 盔 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 盔
盔 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 5
Complete the Sentence
透过地下室的窗户，我看到他正在把他那粉色的自行车头____系在头上。
Through the basement window I saw him strap on his pink cycling helmet.
Example Sentences for 盔 (7)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
透过地下室的窗户，我看到他正在把他那粉色的自行车头盔系在头上。
tòu guò dì xià shì de chuāng hù， ， wǒ kàn dào tā zhèng zài bǎ tā nà fěn sè de zì háng chē tóu kuī xì zài tóu。
Through the basement window I saw him strap on his pink cycling helmet.
2
所有骑摩托车的人都必须戴头盔，这是强制性的。
suǒ yǒu qí mó tuō chē de rén dū bì xū dài tóu kuī， ， zhè shì qiáng zhì xìng。
It is compulsory for all motorcyclists to wear helmets.
3
戴头盔给骑自行车的人一种错误的安全感，怂恿他们去冒险。
dài tóu kuī gěi qí zì háng chē de rén yī zhǒng cuò wù de ān quán gǎn， ， sǒng yǒng tā mén qù mào。
Wearing helmets gave cyclists a false sense of security and encouraged them to take risks.
4
他已脱掉盔甲.
tā yǐ tuō diào kuī jiǎ.
He has been disencumbered of his armor.
5
一位戴头盔的男子正跨上摩托车。
yī wèi dài tóu kuī de nán zǐ zhèng kuà shàng mó tuō chē。
A man in a crash helmet was mounting a motorbike.
6
他戴上了一顶破旧的防护头盔，上面的面罩已有划痕。
tā dài shàng le yī dǐng pò jiù de fáng hù tóu kuī， ， shàng miàn de miàn zhào yǐ yǒu huá。
He pulled on a battered old crash helmet with a scratched visor.
