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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)che
primary
 T3
  1. 1one of the characters used to represent a musical note in gongche notation, 工尺譜
  2. 2a Chinese foot
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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

By ear

Play it, then pick what 尺 means.

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
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 尺?

Decomposition of 尺

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

Parts

Which of these is part 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.

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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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

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

Get it right

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

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 fāxiàn jiǎo xià de shuǐ zhǐyǒu3 Yīng chě shēn。

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 zēngjiā le tíngchē Ōu hòu kuāndù suōjiǎn dào le18 Yīng chě。

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 Yīng chě de gāodù fēixíng shí， tā tīngdào xuán yì fāchū yī zhǒng qíguài de zàoyīn。

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。

lùbiān mǒu xiē dìfang de jī xuě yǒu liù Yīng chě 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。

gānghǎo zài450 Yīng chě de děng gāo xiàn zhīxià yǒu3 gè huǎn pō。

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 chāoguò13,000 Yīng chě de shān kǒu， dàn pō dù píng huǎn。

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 ?

bāngmáng liáng yíxià zhè mùbǎn de chǐcùn hǎo ma?

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。

nàxiē rén dàyuē yǒu100 Yīng chě yuǎn， zhèngzài xiàng zhèlǐ kàojìn。

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 yìshí dào Ā fù hàn rén jìn zài zhǐ chě。

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。

biāozhǔn chǐcùn de sān jiǎo jià kěnéng huì búbiàn yú shǐyòng， yòngyú pāishè dī jiǎodù de wùtǐ shí yóuqí rúcǐ。

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.

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Word Family of 尺

Compounds15
尽jǐnto the greatest extent
迟chísurname Chi
昼zhòudaytime
咫zhǐunit of length used during the Zhou dynasty
沢zé
呎chǐfoot
庹tuǒthe length of one's two outstretched arms
択zé
訳yì
釈shì
鈬duóbell; surname
駅yì
伬ze
粎mǐ
蚇chǐ
Words containing this character20
英尺yīngchǐfoot (unit of length equal to 0.3048 m)
尺chěa ruler
尺寸chǐcùnsize
尺度chǐdùscale
公尺gōngchǐmeter (unit of length)
尺码chǐmǎsize尺碼
近在咫尺jìnzàizhǐchǐto be almost within reach
得寸进尺décùnjìnchǐgive him an inch, and he'll want a mile得寸進尺
咫尺zhǐchǐvery close
尺子chǐzirule
标尺biāochǐstaff標尺
尺骨chǐgǔulna (anatomy)
平方英尺píngfāngyīngchǐsquare foot (unit of area equal to 0.093 m²)
卷尺juǎnchǐtape measure
垂涎三尺chuíxiánsānchǐto yearn for
比例尺bǐlìchǐscale
直尺zhíchǐstraight ruler
咫尺天涯zhǐchǐtiānyáso close, yet worlds apart (idiom)
百尺竿头bǎichǐgāntóuto be at the highest level of enlightenment (Buddhist expression)百尺竿頭
立方公尺lìfānggōngchǐcubic meter m^3
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 尺

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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