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礤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
礤cǎshredder, grater; grindstonex, 19 strokes, radical 石
礤cǎgrater (kitchen implement for grating vegetables)unknown, 19 strokes, radical 石
cǎ(ca3)ca T3
  1. 1shredder, grater; grindstone
  2. 2grater (kitchen implement for grating vegetables)
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March 24, 2026

礤cǎ(ca3)

The character 礤 (cǎ) refers to various grinding and shredding tools, such as a shredder or a grater typically used in a kitchen setting. It can also denote a grindstone, which is used for sharpening tools or grinding materials. This word is commonly used in culinary contexts when discussing food preparation.

Strokes19Radical石
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, the use of graters and shredders is essential for preparing ingredients like carrots and ginger, which are often used in stir-frying. This reflects the importance of texture in Chinese cooking.

Memory tip

Imagine a chef using a grater to 'shred' vegetables into a fine texture, signified by the character 礤. The radical 礻 (related to stone) hints at its grinding nature, while the 'cǎ' sound can be associated with the action of scraping, just like grating.

Meanings of 礤

cǎ(ca3)
1shredder, grater; grindstone
2grater (kitchen implement for grating vegetables)
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 礤

礤Simplified
19Strokes
石Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 礤

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AI study notes for 礤

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 礤 with similar-sounding characters that denote different kitchen tools. This term is more common in informal contexts, especially among cooking enthusiasts. Collocations often include terms related to food preparation, such as 'grate vegetables' or 'sharpen knives'.

HSK Study Tips

While 礤 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, it connects to Level 2 and 3 words related to cooking and utensils, such as 刀 (dāo - knife) and 锋 (fēng - sharp). Focus on understanding its usage in culinary contexts to enhance your vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 礤 with similar characters like 磨 (mó - to grind) or 切 (qiē - to cut). For instance, saying '我用磨来切菜' (wǒ yòng mó lái qiē cài - I use a grinder to cut vegetables) is incorrect; it should specify 'grater' instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 礤

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Etymology of 礤

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

stone

Semantic (meaning)石
+
Phonetic (sound)蔡
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

礤 = 石 + 蔡. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 礤

IDS Structure⿰石蔡
礤Full character
=
石dan4
left
蔡Cai4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 礤?

How to say shredder, grater; grindstone in Chinese

“shredder, grater; grindstone” in Chinese is礤cǎ

The character 礤 (cǎ) refers to various grinding and shredding tools, such as a shredder or a grater typically used in a kitchen setting. It can also denote a grindstone, which is used for sharpening tools or grinding materials. This word is commonly used in culinary contexts when discussing food preparation.

When to use 礤

Be cautious not to confuse 礤 with similar-sounding characters that denote different kitchen tools. This term is more common in informal contexts, especially among cooking enthusiasts. Collocations often include terms related to food preparation, such as 'grate vegetables' or 'sharpen knives'.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 礤 with similar characters like 磨 (mó - to grind) or 切 (qiē - to cut). For instance, saying '我用磨来切菜' (wǒ yòng mó lái qiē cài - I use a grinder to cut vegetables) is incorrect; it should specify 'grater' instead.

Write 礤

礤

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

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Cultural Notes for 礤

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

Unlike in Western cooking where pre-packaged shredded ingredients are common, in Chinese cooking, fresh grating and shredding are often preferred for better flavor and texture.

Word Family of 礤

Words containing this character1
礤cǎshredder

Frequently asked questions about 礤

While 礤 refers to tools used for shredding and grating, 刀 specifically means 'knife,' which is a more general cutting tool.

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