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則 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
則zérule, law, regulation; gradeszg, 9 strokes, radical 刂
zé(ze2)ze T2
  1. 1rule, law, regulation; grades
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March 24, 2026

則zé(ze2)

The character 則 (zé) primarily means 'rule' or 'law,' often used in formal contexts to denote regulations or standards. It can also refer to grades or criteria in specific contexts, particularly in education. The nuance of this character suggests a sense of order or a guiding principle.

Strokes9Radical刂
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, rules and regulations play a critical role in maintaining social harmony and order, reflecting Confucian ideals of societal structure. The use of 則 signifies respect for these established norms.

Memory tip

Imagine a strict teacher holding a ruler (the visual representation of a rule) in one hand and a grade book in the other, symbolizing the enforcement of rules and the assessment of students. The character 則 visually resembles a teacher (the upper part) and the students (the lower part), connecting the idea of rules being central to learning.

Meanings of 則

zé(ze2)
1rule, law, regulation; grades
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 則

則Simplified
9Strokes
刂Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 則

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Podcast: 則

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AI Study Notes for 則

Usage Notes

When using 則, it's important to remember that it is often found in formal or written contexts, such as laws or academic standards. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar characters like 责 (zé, which means 'to blame'), so be cautious of context. It frequently collocates with terms like '法律' (fǎlǜ, law) or '规范' (guīfàn, standard).

HSK Study Tips

While 則 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to the themes of rules and standards found in HSK levels focusing on societal structures and education. Students should focus on recognizing its use in written texts and formal discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 則 with similar characters like 则 (zé) and 责 (zé). A common mistake is using 則 in informal speech, where simpler terms like '规则' (guīzé, rule) may be more appropriate.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 則

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Etymology of 則

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 則. Depicts carving inscriptions on bronzeware (鼎) with a knife (刂). Based on the original meaning "law". In ancient China, some legal writings were inscribed on bronzeware.

Memory hint

Laws inscribed 刂 on a slate 貝

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 則?

Decomposition of 則

IDS Structure⿰貝刂
則Full character
=
貝bei4
left
刂dao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 則?

How to say rule, law, regulation; grades in Chinese

“rule, law, regulation; grades” in Chinese is則zé

The character 則 (zé) primarily means 'rule' or 'law,' often used in formal contexts to denote regulations or standards. It can also refer to grades or criteria in specific contexts, particularly in education. The nuance of this character suggests a sense of order or a guiding principle.

When to use 則

When using 則, it's important to remember that it is often found in formal or written contexts, such as laws or academic standards. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar characters like 责 (zé, which means 'to blame'), so be cautious of context. It frequently collocates with terms like '法律' (fǎlǜ, law) or '规范' (guīfàn, standard).

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 則 with similar characters like 则 (zé) and 责 (zé). A common mistake is using 則 in informal speech, where simpler terms like '规则' (guīzé, rule) may be more appropriate.

Write 則

則

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

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Cultural Notes for 則

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In contrast to many Western cultures that often prioritize individual freedom, Chinese culture places a stronger emphasis on collective adherence to rules and regulations, as embodied by 則.

Word Family of 則

Words containing this character20
则zéthen則
否则fǒuzéif not否則
规则guīzérule規則
原则yuánzéprinciple原則
准则zhǔnzénorm準則
法则law法則
守则rules守則
细则bylaws細則
不规则irregular不規則
原则上in principle原則上
实则actually實則
以身作则yǐshēnzuòzéto set an example (idiom); to serve as a model以身作則
武则天Wu Zetian (624-705), Tang empress, reigned 690-705武則天
通则general rule通則
原则性principled原則性
四项基本原则the Four Cardinal Principles enunciated by Deng Xiaoping 鄧小平|邓小平[Dèng​Xiǎo​píng] in 1979: to uphold the socialist road, the dictatorship of the proletariat, the leadership of the CPC, and Maoism and Marxism-Leninism四項基本原則
附则bylaw附則
然则then然則
和平共处五项原则Zhou Enlai's Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence和平共處五項原則
总则profile總則
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 則

What does 则 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 則

An example sentence is: '法律則是社會的基礎' (The law is the foundation of society).

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