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March 24, 2026
块(塊)kuài(kuai4)
块 (kuài) is a versatile character meaning 'lump' or 'piece.' It is commonly used to refer to chunks of material, such as cake or cloth, and also serves as a colloquial term for money, particularly the yuan. In everyday conversation, it's frequently used when discussing amounts of currency.
Strokes7Radical土Frequency#372DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, using 块 to refer to money reflects the informal way people discuss finances in everyday life, similar to how Americans might say 'bucks' to mean dollars. This colloquial usage is deeply embedded in casual conversations.
Memory Tip
Imagine a big, chunky block of cake (块) that's so heavy you can barely lift it. The shape of the character 块 resembles a piece being cut from a larger block, helping you remember that it means 'piece' or 'lump' in both a physical and financial sense.
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AI Study Notes for 块
Quick Contrast
块 (kuài) vs 片 (piàn) — use 块 for solid, lump-like pieces, while 片 refers to flat, thin slices.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 块 with 片 (piàn), which also means 'piece' but is used for flat items like paper. 块 is informal and colloquial, especially when referring to money, so it's best used in casual conversations rather than formal writing.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 1 word, 块 connects well with other basic vocabulary relating to money and objects. Focus on practicing its usage in sentences to solidify your understanding of how it functions as a measure word for currency and physical items.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 块 when referring to flat items, mistakenly saying '一块纸' (yī kuài zhǐ - one piece of paper) instead of '一片纸' (yī piàn zhǐ). Remember, 块 is for lumps or chunks, while 片 is for flat pieces.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 块
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How Well Do You Know 块?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 块 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
块 = 土 + 夬. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 块
IDS Structure⿰土夬
块Full Character
=
土Tu3
left
夬guai4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 块?
How to say lump (of earth) in Chinese
“lump (of earth)” in Chinese is块kuài
块 (kuài) is a versatile character meaning 'lump' or 'piece.' It is commonly used to refer to chunks of material, such as cake or cloth, and also serves as a colloquial term for money, particularly the yuan. In everyday conversation, it's frequently used when discussing amounts of currency.
When to use 块
Be careful not to confuse 块 with 片 (piàn), which also means 'piece' but is used for flat items like paper. 块 is informal and colloquial, especially when referring to money, so it's best used in casual conversations rather than formal writing.
块 or something close to it
块 (kuài) vs 片 (piàn) — use 块 for solid, lump-like pieces, while 片 refers to flat, thin slices.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 块 when referring to flat items, mistakenly saying '一块纸' (yī kuài zhǐ - one piece of paper) instead of '一片纸' (yī piàn zhǐ). Remember, 块 is for lumps or chunks, while 片 is for flat pieces.
Write 块
块
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Practice writing 块 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 块
块 carries 7 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
