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尺 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
尺chěone of the characters used to represent a musical note in gongche notation, 工尺譜HSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chěa Chinese footHSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chěone-third of a meterHSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chěa rulerHSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chěa tape-measureHSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chěone of the three acupoints for measuring pulse in Chinese medicineHSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chěruler, tape-measure; unit of length, about 1 ft.HSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chěone of the characters used to represent a musical note in gongche notation, 工尺譜|工尺谱[gong1 che3 pu3]HSK 6, unknown, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard, measurement, music, traditional chinese medicine, unit of measurement, musical notation
尺chǐone of the characters used to represent a musical note in gongche notation, 工尺譜HSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chǐa Chinese footHSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chǐone-third of a meterHSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chǐa rulerHSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chǐa tape-measureHSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chǐone of the three acupoints for measuring pulse in Chinese medicineHSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chǐruler, tape-measure; unit of length, about 1 ft.HSK 6, q, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard
尺chǐone of the characters used to represent a musical note in gongche notation, 工尺譜|工尺谱[gong1 che3 pu3]HSK 6, unknown, 4 strokes, radical 尸, rank #3448, Hard, measurement, music, traditional chinese medicine, unit of measurement, musical notation
chě(che3)
primary
 T3
  1. 1one of the characters used to represent a musical note in gongche notation, 工尺譜
  2. 2a Chinese foot
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

尺chě(che3)

The character 尺 (chě) primarily refers to a unit of measurement, specifically a Chinese foot, which is about one-third of a meter. It is also commonly used to denote a ruler or tape measure and has applications in traditional Chinese medicine for measuring pulse at specific acupoints.

Strokes4Radical尸Frequency#3448DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, accurate measurements have significant importance in traditional practices, including architecture and medicine. The concept of measuring is deeply rooted in the philosophy of balance and harmony.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant ruler (尺) that stretches across a footbridge. The character looks like a ruler, and the sound 'chě' can remind you of 'check'—as if you are checking the length of something with your measuring tool.

Meanings of 尺

chě(che3)
primary
1one of the characters used to represent a musical note in gongche notation, 工尺譜
2a Chinese foot
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 尺

尺Simplified
4Strokes
尸Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#3448Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 尺

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Podcast: 尺

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AI Study Notes for 尺

Quick Contrast

尺 (chě) vs 米 (mǐ) — use 尺 for traditional measurements like a foot, while 米 refers specifically to the meter.

Usage Notes

Learners should be careful not to confuse 尺 (chě) with similar characters like 尺寸 (chǐcùn), which means 'size' or 'dimension.' This character is used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in discussions about measurements and traditional practices.

HSK Study Tips

Although 尺 is not a specific HSK level word, it connects with measurement-related vocabulary that may appear in HSK Level 2 and beyond. Focus on understanding how to use it in context with other measurement terms.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly confuse 尺 with the character for 'length' (长, cháng) or use it incorrectly in terms of measurement systems. For example, saying '我有一尺米' (I have one foot of rice) is incorrect; it should specify the type of measurement accurately, such as '我有一斤米' (I have half a kilogram of rice).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 尺

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Etymology of 尺

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

Origin unclear.

Memory Hint

Picture of a man measuring by pacing

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 尺

Origin unclear.

  1. 1The giveawayPicture of a man measuring by pacing
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

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

Want the full history of 尺? 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 尺?

Decomposition of 尺

IDS Structure⿸尸乚
尺Full Character
=
尸shi1
enclosing
乚gou1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 尺?

How to say one of the characters used to represent a musical note in gongche notation, 工尺譜 in Chinese

“one of the characters used to represent a musical note in gongche notation, 工尺譜” in Chinese is尺chě

The character 尺 (chě) primarily refers to a unit of measurement, specifically a Chinese foot, which is about one-third of a meter. It is also commonly used to denote a ruler or tape measure and has applications in traditional Chinese medicine for measuring pulse at specific acupoints.

When to use 尺

Learners should be careful not to confuse 尺 (chě) with similar characters like 尺寸 (chǐcùn), which means 'size' or 'dimension.' This character is used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in discussions about measurements and traditional practices.

尺 or something close to it

尺 (chě) vs 米 (mǐ) — use 尺 for traditional measurements like a foot, while 米 refers specifically to the meter.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly confuse 尺 with the character for 'length' (长, cháng) or use it incorrectly in terms of measurement systems. For example, saying '我有一尺米' (I have one foot of rice) is incorrect; it should specify the type of measurement accurately, such as '我有一斤米' (I have half a kilogram of rice).

Write 尺

尺

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 尺

尺 functions as a measure word. Place it between a number/demonstrative and the noun it counts (一本书, 这个人). Different categories of nouns require different measure words. It carries 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我发现脚下的水只有3英____深。

I found myself in water only three feet deep.

Usage Notes for 尺

Confusion in Measurement ContextCommon Error

Learners sometimes confuse 尺 with other measurement units like 米 (meter) or 厘米 (centimeter).

1

我需要一尺长的木板。

I need a one-foot long board.

Different Uses in MusicGrammar Tip

When used in the context of musical notation, 尺 (chě) is part of a specific vocabulary set related to traditional Chinese music.

1

工尺谱是用尺来表示音符的。

Gongche notation uses 尺 to represent musical notes.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

我需要一____长的木板。

I need a one-foot long board.

Example Sentences for 尺 (15)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我发现脚下的水只有3英尺深。

wǒ fā xiàn jiǎo xià de shuǐ zhī yǒu3 3 yīng chǐ。

I found myself in water only three feet deep.
2
这条路增加了停车区后宽度缩减到了18英尺。

zhè tiáo lù zēng jiā le tíng chē qū hòu kuān dù suō jiǎn dào le18 18 yīng。

The road was reduced to 18ft in width by adding parking bays.
3
在1,000英尺的高度飞行时，他听到旋翼发出一种奇怪的噪音。

zài1,000 1,000 yīng chǐ de gāo dù fēi háng， shí ， tā tīng dào xuán yì fā chū yī zhǒng qí guài de。

Flying at 1,000 ft. he heard a peculiar noise from the rotors.
4
路边某些地方的积雪有六英尺深。

lù biān mǒu xiē dì fāng de jī xuě yǒu liù yīng chǐ shēn。

The snow along the roadside was six feet deep in places.
5
刚好在450英尺的等高线之下有3个缓坡。

gāng hǎo zài450 450 yīng chǐ de děng gāo xiàn zhī xià3 yǒu 3 gè。

There were three moderate climbs to just below the 450 feet contour.
6
有两个超过13,000英尺的山口，但坡度平缓。

yǒu liǎng gè chāo guò13,000 13,000 yīng chǐ de shān， kǒu ， dàn pō dù。

There were two passes over 13,000 feet but the slopes were gentle.
7
帮忙量一下这木板的尺寸好 吗 ?

bāng máng liáng yī xià zhè mù bǎn de chǐ cùn hǎo?

Will you help me to take the size of the board?
8
那些人大约有100英尺远，正在向这里靠近。

nà xiē rén dà yuē yǒu100 100 yīng chǐ， yuǎn ， zhèng zài xiàng zhè lǐ。

The men were maybe a hundred feet away and coming closer.
9
他意识到阿富汗人近在咫尺。

tā yì shí dào ā fù hàn rén jìn zài zhǐ chǐ。

He became aware of the proximity of the Afghans.
10
标准尺寸的三脚架可能会不便于使用，用于拍摄低角度的物体时尤其如此。

biāo zhǔn chǐ cùn de sān jiǎo jià kě néng huì bù biàn yú shǐ yòng， ， yòng yú pāi shè dī jiǎo dù de wù tǐ shí yóu qí rú。

Full-size tripods can be awkward, especially if you'reshooting a low-level subject.
11
在学习古琴时，我开始理解工尺谱中的“尺”代表的音符位置。

Zài xuéxí gǔqín shí, wǒ kāishǐ lǐjiě gōngchěpǔ zhōng de “chě” dàibiǎo de yīnfú wèizhì.

While learning the guqin, I began to understand the position of the note represented by '尺' in gongche notation.
12
在研究工尺譜时，我了解到“尺”是一个重要的音符符号。

Zài yánjiū gōngchěpǔ shí, wǒ liǎojiědào “chě” shì yī gè zhòngyào de yīnfú fúhào.

While studying gongche notation, I learned that 'chě' is an important musical note symbol.
13
如果你想演奏这首古曲，必须首先理解工尺譜中“尺”的使用。

Rúguǒ nǐ xiǎng yǎnzòu zhè shǒu gǔqǔ, bìxū shǒuxiān lǐjiě gōngchěpǔ zhōng “chě” de shǐyòng.

If you want to play this ancient piece, you must first understand the use of 'chě' in gongche notation.
14
在古代音乐中，工尺譜中的“尺”代表了特定的旋律音高。

Zài gǔdài yīnyuè zhōng, gōngchěpǔ zhōng de “chě” dàibiǎo le tèdìng de xuánlǜ yīngāo.

In ancient music, 'chě' in gongche notation represented a specific melodic pitch.
15
老师解释说，工尺譜里的“尺”是模仿人声而来的音符。

Lǎoshī jiěshì shuō, gōngchěpǔ lǐ de “chě” shì mófǎng rénshēng ér lái de yīnfú.

The teacher explained that 'chě' in gongche notation is a note derived from imitating the human voice.

Word Family of 尺

Compounds15
尽jin3to the greatest extent
迟Chi2surname Chi
昼zhou4daytime
咫zhi3unit of length used during the Zhou dynasty
沢
呎chi3foot
庹tuo3the length of one's two outstretched arms
択
訳
釈
鈬Duo2bell; surname
駅
伬
粎
蚇
Words Containing This Character20
英尺foot (unit of length equal to 0.3048 m)
尺chěa ruler
尺寸chǐcùnsize
尺度chǐdùscale
公尺meter (unit of length)
尺码size尺碼
近在咫尺to be almost within reach
得寸进尺give him an inch, and he'll want a mile得寸進尺
咫尺very close
尺子chǐzirule
标尺staff標尺
尺骨ulna (anatomy)
平方英尺square foot (unit of area equal to 0.093 m²)
卷尺tape measure
垂涎三尺to yearn for
比例尺scale
直尺straight ruler
咫尺天涯so close, yet worlds apart (idiom)
百尺竿头to be at the highest level of enlightenment (Buddhist expression)百尺竿頭
立方公尺cubic meter m^3
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 尽 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 尺

In traditional Chinese medicine, 尺 (chǐ) refers to one of the three acupoints used for measuring pulse. These measurements are crucial for diagnosing health conditions and understanding a patient's overall well-being.

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