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侧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
侧cèthe sideHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧cèlean on one sideHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧cèto incline towardsHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧cèto leanHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧cèinclinedHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧cèlateralHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧cèsideHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧cèside; to slant, to lean, to inclineHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧zhāithe sideHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧zhāilean on one sideHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧zhāito incline towardsHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧zhāito leanHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧zhāiinclinedHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧zhāilateralHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧zhāisideHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
侧zhāiside; to slant, to lean, to inclineHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3312, Hard
cè(ce4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1the side
  2. 2lean on one side
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

侧(側)cè(ce4)

The character 侧 (cè) primarily means 'side' or 'to lean to one side.' It is commonly used in contexts referring to physical positioning, such as leaning against an object or the lateral aspect of a person or object. Additionally, it can describe a tendency to favor one side or perspective over another.

Strokes8Radical亻Frequency#3312DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'side' can relate to social dynamics, such as favoring one group over another. The idea of leaning towards one side may also be reflected in traditional Chinese philosophies that emphasize balance and harmony.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person leaning to the side, trying to pick up something heavy. The character 侧 (cè) has a radical that resembles a person leaning (亻) combined with a symbol for a side (侧). Picture this person saying 'I need to lean to the side' to remember the sound and meaning.

Meanings of 侧

cè(ce4)
primary
1the side
2lean on one side
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 侧

侧Simplified
側Traditional
8Strokes
亻Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#3312Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 侧

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Podcast: 侧

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AI Study Notes for 侧

Quick Contrast

侧 (cè) vs 边 (biān) — use 侧 when emphasizing a leaning or lateral position, while 边 refers more generally to the edge or boundary of something.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 侧 with similar characters like 侧面 (cèmiàn), which means 'side surface.' This term is usually used in both formal and informal contexts. Pay attention to the tone; 'cè' is pronounced with a falling tone, which can change the meaning if pronounced incorrectly.

HSK Study Tips

While 侧 is not included in the official HSK levels, it connects well with vocabulary related to directions and positions, such as 左 (left) and 右 (right). Students should focus on pronunciation and usage in phrases to deepen their understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 侧 in place of 旁 (páng), which means 'beside.' For example, saying '我在侧边' (wǒ zài cèbiān) instead of '我在旁边' (wǒ zài pángbiān) can lead to confusion. Correct usage emphasizes the leaning aspect rather than mere proximity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 侧

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Etymology of 侧

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 则 represents the sound. Simplified form of 側.

Memory Hint

person

Semantic (meaning)亻
+
Phonetic (sound)则
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 侧

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 则 represents the sound. Simplified form of 側.

  1. 1The meaning half亻 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half则 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayperson
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 侧? 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 侧?

Decomposition of 侧

IDS Structure⿰亻则
侧Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
则ze2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 侧?

How to say the side in Chinese

“the side” in Chinese is侧cè

The character 侧 (cè) primarily means 'side' or 'to lean to one side.' It is commonly used in contexts referring to physical positioning, such as leaning against an object or the lateral aspect of a person or object. Additionally, it can describe a tendency to favor one side or perspective over another.

When to use 侧

Be cautious not to confuse 侧 with similar characters like 侧面 (cèmiàn), which means 'side surface.' This term is usually used in both formal and informal contexts. Pay attention to the tone; 'cè' is pronounced with a falling tone, which can change the meaning if pronounced incorrectly.

侧 or something close to it

侧 (cè) vs 边 (biān) — use 侧 when emphasizing a leaning or lateral position, while 边 refers more generally to the edge or boundary of something.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 侧 in place of 旁 (páng), which means 'beside.' For example, saying '我在侧边' (wǒ zài cèbiān) instead of '我在旁边' (wǒ zài pángbiān) can lead to confusion. Correct usage emphasizes the leaning aspect rather than mere proximity.

Write 侧

侧

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 侧

侧 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我____一步要躲闪的时候，瓶子打中了我的左髋部。

As I sidestepped, the bottle hit me on the left hip.

Example Sentences for 侧 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我侧一步要躲闪的时候，瓶子打中了我的左髋部。

wǒ cè yī bù yào duǒ shǎn de shí hòu， ， píng zǐ dǎ zhōng le wǒ de zuǒ kuān。

As I sidestepped, the bottle hit me on the left hip.
2
莱瑟戴尔头部一侧遭到响亮的一击。

lái sè dài ěr tóu bù yī cè zāo dào xiǎng liàng de yī jī。

Leatherdale was hit resoundingly on the side of the head.
3
伯格侧着头，脸上掠过一丝调皮的神情。

bó gé cè zháo tóu， ， liǎn shàng lüè guò yī sī tiáo pí de shén。

Berg tilts his head and a mischievous look crosses his face.
4
别人给娜奥米一匹小型马并教会她如何侧骑马。

bié rén gěi nà ào mǐ yī pǐ xiǎo xíng mǎ bìng jiào huì tā rú hé cè qí mǎ。

Naomi was given a pony and taught to ride side-saddle.
5
他的车滑到了大楼的一侧，抵住了。

tā de chē huá dào le dà lóu de yī cè， ， dǐ zhù。

He slewed the car against the side of the building.
6
他发现有一艘船正在潜艇的右侧航行。

tā fā xiàn yǒu yī sōu chuán zhèng zài qián tǐng de yòu cè háng háng。

He detected a ship moving down the starboard side of the submarine.
7
戒指内侧有一层厚厚的锈斑。

jiè zhǐ nèi cè yǒu yī céng hòu hòu de xiù bān。

The tarnish lay thick on the inside of the ring.
8
大门口的一侧有块红色的匾额。

dà mén kǒu de yī cè yǒu kuài hóng sè de biǎn é。

On one side of the main entrance there's a red plaque.
9
另外两个女孩同时朝着绳索做侧手翻，动作整齐划一，完美无瑕。

lìng wài liǎng gè nǚ hái tóng shí zhāo zháo shéng suǒ zuò cè shǒu fān， ， dòng zuò zhěng qí huá， yī ， wán měi。

With perfect synchronization, two other girls cartwheeled toward the ropes.
10
赫特在从巴黎起飞的飞机上辗转反侧了几个小时。

hè tè zài cóng bā lí qǐ fēi de fēi jī shàng zhǎn zhuǎn fǎn cè le jī gè xiǎo shí。

Hurt had spent a restless few hours on the plane from Paris.

Word Family of 侧

Words Containing This Character20
侧cèthe side側
侧面cèmiànside側面
右侧right side右側
左侧left side左側
外侧outer side外側
侧重cèzhòngto place particular emphasis on側重
东侧east side東側
西侧west side西側
侧门side door側門
两侧liǎngcètwo sides兩側
北侧north side北側
侧身(to stand or move) sideways側身
南侧south side南側
侧卧to lie on one's side側臥
侧耳to listen側耳
侧影profile側影
侧目shocked側目
辗转反侧to toss and turn restlessly (in the bed)輾轉反側
旁敲侧击to make insinuations旁敲側擊
侧重点main point側重點
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 侧 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 侧

Common phrases include 侧身 (cèshēn), meaning 'turning to the side,' and 侧面 (cèmiàn), meaning 'side surface.'

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