crowd, heap, pile, mass; to pile up; measure word for things in piles or stacks
HSK 5, v, 11 strokes, radical 土, rank #1242, Hard
duī(dui1) T1
1to pile up
2to heap up
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March 24, 2026
堆duī(dui1)
堆 (duī) means to pile up or heap together objects in a stacked manner. It is commonly used in contexts involving physical items, like piles of books or heaps of dirt, as well as in metaphorical senses, such as a mass of work or tasks.
Strokes11Radical土Frequency#1242DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of piling items can be related to traditional practices such as stacking offerings during festivals, symbolizing abundance and good fortune.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'dui' (sounds like 'do it') where you are told to 'do it' and pile up your laundry. The character 堆 resembles a stack where the top part is like a roof over the piles beneath, visually representing a heap.
Meanings of 堆
duī(dui1)
1to pile up
2to heap up
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 堆
堆Simplified
11Strokes
土Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1242Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 堆
Podcast: 堆
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AI Study Notes for 堆
Quick Contrast
堆 (duī) vs 堆积 (duījī) — use 堆 for a general sense of piling, while 堆积 specifically emphasizes accumulation over time.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a 'dui' (sounds like 'do it') where you are told to 'do it' and pile up your laundry. The character 堆 resembles a stack where the top part is like a roof over the piles beneath, visually representing a heap.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with tone as '堆' is pronounced with a high level tone (duī), unlike similar-sounding characters. It's often used with measure words like '一堆' (yī duī) to indicate 'a pile of'. Avoid using it in overly formal contexts; it's more suited to everyday language.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 堆 connects well with vocabulary related to quantity and measures. Focus on practicing its usage with different nouns to enhance your ability to describe various heaps or piles effectively.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of piling items can be related to traditional practices such as stacking offerings during festivals, symbolizing abundance and good fortune.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 堆 with similar characters like '堆积' (to accumulate). For example, saying '我堆积书' is incorrect; instead, use '我堆书' to mean 'I pile books'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 堆
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Grammar Patterns of 堆
堆 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. 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.
Emergency cooling systems could fail and a reactor meltdown could occur.
6
我有一大堆的问题等着过后问你。
wǒ yǒu yī dà duī de wèn tí děng zháo guò hòu wèn nǐ。
I've got a pile of questions afterwards for you.
7
养一大堆孩子让人心力交瘁。
yǎng yī dà duī hái zǐ ràng rén xīn lì jiāo cuì。
Having loads of children takes it out of you.
8
那是一堆枯燥乏味、毫无幽默感的废话。
nà shì yī duī kū zào fá wèi、 、 háo wú yōu mò gǎn de fèi。
It is a tedious, humourless load of crap.
9
书本经常乱七八糟地堆在地板上。
shū běn jīng cháng luàn qī bā zāo dì duī zài dì bǎn shàng。
Books are often stacked in higgledy-piggledy piles on the floor.
10
胡志明市的商店里堆满了商品。
hú zhì míng shì de shāng diàn lǐ duī mǎn le shāng pǐn。
Shops in Ho Chi Minh City are stacked with goods.
Cultural Notes for 堆
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of piling items can be related to traditional practices such as stacking offerings during festivals, symbolizing abundance and good fortune.
Word Family of 堆
Words Containing This Character18
堆duīto pile up
一堆pile
堆积duījīto pile up堆積
垃圾堆garbage heap
堆放to pile up
反应堆reactor反應堆
堆满to pile up堆滿
核反应堆nuclear reactor核反應堆
堆砌duīqìto pack
堆积如山to pile up like a mountain (idiom)堆積如山
火堆bonfire
土堆mound
堆肥compost
马王堆Mawangdui in Changsha, Hunan, a recent Han dynasty archaeological site馬王堆
堆叠to pile up堆疊
堆栈storehouse堆棧
故纸堆a pile of old books故紙堆
堆龙德庆县Doilungdêqên county, Tibetan: Stod lung bde chen rdzong in Lhasa 拉薩|拉萨[Lāsà], Tibet堆龍德慶縣
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 堆 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 堆
Some synonyms for 堆 (duī) include 堆积 (duījī), which means 'to accumulate', and 堆放 (duīfàng), meaning 'to place in a pile'. These terms are often used in contexts involving collections or stacks of items.
堆 is pronounced as 'duī' in Mandarin. The pronunciation uses the first tone, which is high and level. You can practice saying it by focusing on maintaining a steady pitch.
堆 (duī) means 'to pile up' or 'to heap up'. It refers to a mass or collection of items stacked together, such as a pile of books or a heap of dirt. This character is often used in everyday contexts to describe things that are stacked or accumulated.
You can use 堆 (duī) in sentences to describe actions involving piling items. For example, '我把书堆在桌子上' means 'I piled the books on the table.' It's commonly used with objects to indicate they are stacked together.
You can say '我把书堆在桌子上' (I piled the books on the table).
Synonyms include '堆积' (to accumulate) and '堆放' (to store in piles).
Yes, it can refer to a pile of work or responsibilities, such as '作业堆得很高' (the homework is piled very high).
