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March 24, 2026
册(冊)cè(ce4)
The character 册 (cè) primarily means 'book' or 'booklet,' and it is often used as a classifier for books. In contexts such as libraries or catalogs, it can denote a volume or a list, highlighting its function in organizing written material.
Strokes5Radical冂Frequency#11152DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the practice of cataloging books and documents has a long history, dating back to ancient dynasties where scholars would compile texts for study and preservation. This underscores the importance of literature in Chinese intellectual tradition.
Memory Tip
Imagine a stack of books (册) where each book is neatly organized on a shelf. The character resembles a cover (丿) with a binding (冊) on the side, reminding you of a booklet or a volume. Visualize picking a book from the stack and flipping through its pages to remember 'cè'.
Meanings of 册
cè(ce4)
1book
2booklet
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 册
册Simplified
冊Traditional
5Strokes
冂Radical
量词liàngcímeasure word (mw.)Part of Speech
#11152Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 册
Podcast: 册
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AI Study Notes for 册
Quick Contrast
册 (cè) vs 本 (běn) — choose 册 when referring to a volume or booklet in a formal context, while 本 is more commonly used for counting books in general.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 册 with similar characters like 书 (shū, 'book') or 卷 (juǎn, 'scroll'). While 册 specifically refers to a bound volume, 书 is more general. Use 册 in formal contexts or when discussing bibliographic classifications.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 册 connects to other book-related vocabulary like 书 (shū) and 目录 (mùlù, 'catalog'). Focus on its usage in formal writing and discussions about literature or library science, enhancing your vocabulary for academic contexts.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is using 册 in informal contexts where 书 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我在读一本册' instead of '我在读一本书'. Remember to reserve 册 for more formal or specific contexts.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 册
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Simplified form of 冊. Pictograph of strips of bamboo strung together. In ancient China writing was done on bamboo strips.
1The giveawayBamboo strips 冂 tied together to form a book
2On the record aspictographic — someone drew the thing itself.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 册? 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 册?
Decomposition of 册
IDS Structure⿻⿰冂冂一
册Full Character
=
冂jiong1
left
冂jiong1
right
一yi1
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 册?
How to say book in Chinese
“book” in Chinese is册cè
The character 册 (cè) primarily means 'book' or 'booklet,' and it is often used as a classifier for books. In contexts such as libraries or catalogs, it can denote a volume or a list, highlighting its function in organizing written material.
When to use 册
Learners often confuse 册 with similar characters like 书 (shū, 'book') or 卷 (juǎn, 'scroll'). While 册 specifically refers to a bound volume, 书 is more general. Use 册 in formal contexts or when discussing bibliographic classifications.
册 or something close to it
册 (cè) vs 本 (běn) — choose 册 when referring to a volume or booklet in a formal context, while 本 is more commonly used for counting books in general.
What learners get wrong
A common mistake is using 册 in informal contexts where 书 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我在读一本册' instead of '我在读一本书'. Remember to reserve 册 for more formal or specific contexts.
Write 册
册
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Practice writing 册 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 册
册 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 4 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.
