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棚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
棚péngshack, shed; tent, awningHSK 7, n, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #8807, Very Hard
棚péngcanopyHSK 7, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #8807, Very Hard
péng(peng2)peng T2
  1. 1shack, shed; tent, awning
  2. 2canopy
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March 24, 2026

棚péng(peng2)

The character 棚 (péng) refers to a structure used for storage or shelter, commonly translated as 'shack' or 'shed.' It can denote temporary structures like tents or awnings, and is often used in contexts related to outdoor activities, storage, or makeshift housing.

Strokes12Radical木Frequency#8807DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In rural China, temporary structures like 棚 are often used during harvest season to protect crops from the elements, reflecting the importance of agriculture in Chinese culture.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'penguin' (péng) seeking shelter under a large canopy (棚) to escape the cold. The character 棚 has the radical for wood (木), hinting at its connection to wooden structures used for shelter.

Meanings of 棚

péng(peng2)
1shack, shed; tent, awning
2canopy
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 棚 means.

About 棚

棚Simplified
12Strokes
木Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 棚

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Podcast: 棚

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AI study notes for 棚

Quick Contrast

棚 (péng) vs 房 (fáng) — use 棚 for temporary or makeshift structures, while 房 denotes a permanent building or house.

Usage Notes

In casual contexts, 棚 can refer to any temporary or less formal structure. Be careful not to confuse it with similar terms that imply permanence or sturdiness. Common collocations include '车棚' (chēpéng - carport) and '棚屋' (péngwū - shack).

HSK Study Tips

While 棚 is not an HSK word, it connects with other structures in HSK vocabulary, enhancing your understanding of housing and shelter-related terms. When studying, focus on the context in which it is used to build related vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 棚 with more permanent structures like 房子 (fángzi - house). For example, saying '我的房子是棚' (Wǒ de fángzi shì péng - My house is a shed) is incorrect; instead, use '我的棚是新的' (Wǒ de péng shì xīn de - My shed is new).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 棚

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Etymology of 棚

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

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 朋 represents the sound.

Memory hint

wood

Semantic (meaning)木
+
Phonetic (sound)朋
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

棚 = 木 + 朋. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 棚

IDS Structure⿰木朋
棚Full character
=
木Mu4
left
朋peng2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 棚?

How to say shack, shed; tent, awning in Chinese

“shack, shed; tent, awning” in Chinese is棚péng

The character 棚 (péng) refers to a structure used for storage or shelter, commonly translated as 'shack' or 'shed.' It can denote temporary structures like tents or awnings, and is often used in contexts related to outdoor activities, storage, or makeshift housing.

When to use 棚

In casual contexts, 棚 can refer to any temporary or less formal structure. Be careful not to confuse it with similar terms that imply permanence or sturdiness. Common collocations include '车棚' (chēpéng - carport) and '棚屋' (péngwū - shack).

棚 or something close to it

棚 (péng) vs 房 (fáng) — use 棚 for temporary or makeshift structures, while 房 denotes a permanent building or house.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 棚 with more permanent structures like 房子 (fángzi - house). For example, saying '我的房子是棚' (Wǒ de fángzi shì péng - My house is a shed) is incorrect; instead, use '我的棚是新的' (Wǒ de péng shì xīn de - My shed is new).

Write 棚

棚

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

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Grammar patterns of 棚

棚 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

与在录音____里录音相比,她更喜欢现场表演。

She'smuch happier performing live than in a recording studio.

Example sentences for 棚 (10)

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1
与在录音棚里录音相比,她更喜欢现场表演。

yǔ zài lùyīn péng lǐ lùyīn xiāngbǐ, tā gèng xǐhuan xiànchǎng biǎoyǎn。

She'smuch happier performing live than in a recording studio.
2
从那以后他们拆掉了简陋的棚屋。

cóng nà yǐhòu tāmen chāi diào le jiǎnlòu de péng wū。

They have since knocked down the shack.
3
他们去了自行车棚的后面,短暂地拥吻了一下。

tāmen qù le zìxíngchē péng de hòumiàn, duǎnzàn dì yōng wěn le yíxià。

They went for a quick snog behind the bike sheds.
4
我们三个人把无篷小划艇推出了棚子。

wǒmen sāngè rén bǎ wú péng xiǎo huá tǐng tuīchū le péng zi。

The three of us manhandled the uncovered dinghy out of the shed.
5
马在火灾中被烧死,因为它们被关在马棚里.

mǎ zài huǒzāi zhōng bèi shāo sǐ, yīnwèi tāmen bèi guān zài mǎ péng lǐ.

The horses died in the fire because they were barred in the hut.
6
篱笆, 窝棚,什么都七倒八歪,叫你一眼就瞧出那穷形窘状.

lí bā, wō péng, shénme dōu qī dào bā wāi, jiào nǐ yīyǎn jiù qiáo chū nà qióng xíng jiǒng zhuàng.

Fences , sheds , everything had a ruined look, and were eloquent of poverty.
7
杂草丛中零零落落地歪着几所棚屋.

zá cǎocóng zhōng líng líng là luòdì wāi zhe jǐ suǒ péng wū.

A few shanties sprawl in the weeds.
8
牲口棚里的牲口饿得朝她嗷嗷叫.

shēng kǒu péng lǐ de shēng kǒu è de cháo tā áo áo jiào.

The stock in the barn cried to her hungrily.
9
适合春棚及春秋露地栽培.

shìhé chūn péng jí chūn Qiū lòu dì zāipéi.

For the spring and the spring and open field cultivation shed.
10
她犹豫不定地看着他, 看着那间矮棚屋.

tā yóuyù búdìng dì kàn zhe tā, kàn zhe nà jiān ǎi péng wū.

She looked doubtfully at him, at the low shanty.

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Word Family of 棚

Words containing this character12
棚péngshed
摄影棚shèyǐngpéngfilm studio攝影棚
棚子péngzishack
爆棚bàopéngfull to bursting
顶棚dǐngpéngceiling頂棚
棚户区pénghùqūshantytown棚戶區
天棚tiānpéngceiling
凉棚liángpéngarbor涼棚
棚架péngjiàtrellis
棚户pénghùshacks棚戶
茅棚máopéngthatched shed
手搭凉棚shǒudāliángpéngto shade one's eyes with one's hand手搭涼棚
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 棚

What does 摄影棚 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 棚

You could say '我在棚里放了很多工具' (Wǒ zài péng lǐ fàng le hěn duō gōngjù) which means 'I put many tools in the shed.'

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