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凳子 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
凳子dèngzistoolHSK 7, unknown, 17 strokes, rank #9382, Very Hard
凳子dèngzismall seatHSK 7, unknown, 17 strokes, rank #9382, Very Hard
dèngzi(deng4zi5)deng zi T4
  1. 1stool
  2. 2small seat
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March 24, 2026

凳子dèngzi(deng4zi5)

凳子 (dèngzi) refers to a stool or small seat, typically without a backrest. It is commonly used in homes, restaurants, and public spaces for sitting, often in casual or informal settings.

Strokes17Frequency#9382DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In many Chinese homes, it's common to have multiple凳子 (stools) for guests to sit on, especially during gatherings where space is limited. They reflect a culture of hospitality and communal living.

Memory tip

Imagine a sturdy wooden stool, where '凳' resembles a seat with its flat top and legs. The '子' component can be visualized as a small child sitting on it, helping you remember the pronunciation as 'dèngzi' for stool.

Meanings of 凳子

dèngzi(deng4zi5)
1stool
2small seat
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 凳子

凳子Simplified
17Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

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Podcast: 凳子

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AI study notes for 凳子

Quick Contrast

椅子 (yǐzi) vs 凳子 (dèngzi): choose 凳子 when referring to a stool without a backrest, while 椅子 refers to a chair that typically has a backrest.

Usage Notes

Be careful to use '凳子' in informal contexts, as more formal seating options might use '椅子' (yǐzi) instead. A common mistake is to confuse it with '桌子' (zhuōzi), which means table.

HSK Study Tips

Though not in the HSK vocabulary lists, '凳子' is useful for learners at HSK 2 and 3 levels. Focus on using it in sentences related to furniture or daily life scenarios to build contextual understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use '凳子' when referring to a chair, saying '我坐在凳子上' (wǒ zuò zài dèngzi shàng) instead of '我坐在椅子上' (wǒ zuò zài yǐzi shàng). Remember, '凳子' is for stools specifically.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 凳子

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Component characters

凳dèngbench; stool
14 strokes几
View full entry
子zison
HSK 33 strokes子
View full entry

How to say stool in Chinese

“stool” in Chinese is凳子dèngzi

凳子 (dèngzi) refers to a stool or small seat, typically without a backrest. It is commonly used in homes, restaurants, and public spaces for sitting, often in casual or informal settings.

When to use 凳子

Be careful to use '凳子' in informal contexts, as more formal seating options might use '椅子' (yǐzi) instead. A common mistake is to confuse it with '桌子' (zhuōzi), which means table.

凳子 or something close to it

椅子 (yǐzi) vs 凳子 (dèngzi): choose 凳子 when referring to a stool without a backrest, while 椅子 refers to a chair that typically has a backrest.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use '凳子' when referring to a chair, saying '我坐在凳子上' (wǒ zuò zài dèngzi shàng) instead of '我坐在椅子上' (wǒ zuò zài yǐzi shàng). Remember, '凳子' is for stools specifically.

Write 凳子

凳
子

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

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Common confusions with 凳子

凳子vs凳
dèng

Similar shape and sound, both refer to types of seating.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “stool”?

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Cultural Notes for 凳子

💡Did you know?

In traditional Chinese homes, stools are often used because they are easy to move and save space. They are commonly found in kitchens and dining areas, reflecting the importance of practicality in Chinese furniture design.

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

While stools are common in Chinese culture, in some Western countries, they are often considered informal seating. In contrast, in China, they are ubiquitous and used in many formal settings, such as restaurants.

Frequently asked questions about 凳子

凳子 is generally considered to be more informal compared to 椅子 (chair). It is often used in casual settings like homes, cafes, or outdoor spaces. In formal contexts, a chair is usually preferred.

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