Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
书柜 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
书柜shūguìbookcaseHSK 5, unknown, 12 strokes, rank #33874, Hard
shūguì(shu1gui4)shu gui T1
  1. 1bookcase
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

书柜(書櫃)shūguì(shu1gui4)

书柜 (shū guì) refers to a bookcase or bookshelf, a piece of furniture designed to hold books. It is commonly found in homes, libraries, and offices, serving both functional and aesthetic purposes by organizing books and displayed items.

Strokes12Frequency#33874DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, having a well-organized 书柜 can reflect one's educational background and values, as books are highly regarded. In many homes, a bookcase serves not only as storage but also as a display of one's intellectual pursuits.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'shoo' (like the sound of a shoe) that opens into a 'gui' (a quaint, magical world) filled with books. The shape of the character '柜' resembles a cabinet, where you store your favorite stories.

Meanings of 书柜

shūguì(shu1gui4)
1bookcase
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 书柜 means.

About 书柜

书柜Simplified
書櫃Traditional
12Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2

Podcast: 书柜

JasonAmy

Podcast: 书柜

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 书柜

Quick Contrast

书架 (shūjià) - use 书柜 when referring to a closed cabinet for books, whereas 书架 refers to an open shelf.

Usage Notes

In informal contexts, you might simply say '书' when referring to books, but '书柜' specifically indicates the furniture. Be careful with the tones; saying '书鬼' (shū guǐ, book ghost) instead of '书柜' can change the meaning entirely. Common collocations include '放在书柜上' (put on the bookcase).

HSK Study Tips

While this word may not appear in the early HSK levels, it is useful vocabulary for discussing home and furniture. Students should practice using it in sentences to describe their own living spaces, connecting it with other furniture vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse '书柜' with '书架', mistakenly using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我买了一个书架' (I bought a bookcase) when they meant to say '书柜' is incorrect if they are referring to a cabinet-style bookcase.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 书柜

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 书柜 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Jason Explains 书柜 to You

Let me explain 书柜 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 书柜 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 书柜?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 书柜 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.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Component Characters

书shūbook
HSK 14 strokes丨
View full entry
柜guìSalix multinervis
8 strokes木
View full entry

How to say bookcase in Chinese

“bookcase” in Chinese is书柜shūguì

书柜 (shū guì) refers to a bookcase or bookshelf, a piece of furniture designed to hold books. It is commonly found in homes, libraries, and offices, serving both functional and aesthetic purposes by organizing books and displayed items.

When to use 书柜

In informal contexts, you might simply say '书' when referring to books, but '书柜' specifically indicates the furniture. Be careful with the tones; saying '书鬼' (shū guǐ, book ghost) instead of '书柜' can change the meaning entirely. Common collocations include '放在书柜上' (put on the bookcase).

书柜 or something close to it

书架 (shūjià) - use 书柜 when referring to a closed cabinet for books, whereas 书架 refers to an open shelf.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse '书柜' with '书架', mistakenly using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我买了一个书架' (I bought a bookcase) when they meant to say '书柜' is incorrect if they are referring to a cabinet-style bookcase.

Write 书柜

书
柜

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 书柜?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Frequently Asked Questions about 书柜

书柜 (shū guì) is a bookcase with doors, while 书架 (shū jià) is an open bookshelf.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 书柜?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab