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课本 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
课本kèběntextbookHSK 3, unknown, 15 strokes, rank #14989, Medium
kèběn(ke4ben3)ke ben T4
  1. 1textbook
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March 24, 2026

课本(課本)kèběn(ke4ben3)

课本 (kèběn) refers to a textbook, which is a book used in schools and educational settings for teaching a particular subject. It often contains exercises, explanations, and illustrations to aid in learning. Textbooks are essential resources for students as they provide structured content for study.

Strokes15Frequency#14989DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In China, the use of textbooks is highly standardized, and students often use the same textbooks throughout their schooling, emphasizing uniformity in education. This contrasts with some Western countries where textbooks may vary widely between schools.

Memory Tip

Imagine a classroom where students are sitting at desks, each with a big 'K' for '知识' (knowledge) on the cover of their textbook. The '课' component looks like a classroom, and '本' means book. Together, they create a vivid image of the source of knowledge for learners.

Meanings of 课本

kèběn(ke4ben3)
1textbook
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 课本

课本Simplified
課本Traditional
15Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
本Measure Word
HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 课本

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Podcast: 课本

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AI Study Notes for 课本

Quick Contrast

教材 (jiàocái) - use 教材 when referring to teaching materials in a broader sense, while 课本 specifically refers to a textbook.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 课本 with 书 (shū), which means 'book' in general. Remember that 课本 specifically refers to educational textbooks. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in academic settings.

HSK Study Tips

课本 is relevant for HSK level 3 and above, as it connects to other educational vocabulary like 学习 (xuéxí - to study) and 教室 (jiàoshì - classroom). Students should focus on using it in sentences related to their studies.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 课本 to refer to any book, but it's important to use it specifically for textbooks. For example, saying '我有一本课本' is correct, but saying '我有一本书' (I have a book) without specifying the type can lead to confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 课本

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Component Characters

课kèsubject
HSK 110 strokes讠
View full entry
本běnroots or stems of plants
HSK 15 strokes木
View full entry

How to say textbook in Chinese

“textbook” in Chinese is课本kèběn

课本 (kèběn) refers to a textbook, which is a book used in schools and educational settings for teaching a particular subject. It often contains exercises, explanations, and illustrations to aid in learning. Textbooks are essential resources for students as they provide structured content for study.

When to use 课本

Common mistakes include confusing 课本 with 书 (shū), which means 'book' in general. Remember that 课本 specifically refers to educational textbooks. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in academic settings.

课本 or something close to it

教材 (jiàocái) - use 教材 when referring to teaching materials in a broader sense, while 课本 specifically refers to a textbook.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 课本 to refer to any book, but it's important to use it specifically for textbooks. For example, saying '我有一本课本' is correct, but saying '我有一本书' (I have a book) without specifying the type can lead to confusion.

Write 课本

课
本

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Frequently Asked Questions about 课本

课本 specifically refers to textbooks used for studying, while 书 is a general term for any type of book.

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