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载 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
载zǎiyearHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎito record in writing (Taiwan pr. for this sense is [zài])HSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎito carryHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎito conveyHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎito loadHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎito holdHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎito fill upHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎiandHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎialsoHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎias well asHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎisimultaneouslyHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎiload; to carry, to convey, to transportHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎito record in writingHSK 7, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard, stative, transitive
载zǎito carry (i.e. publish in a newspaper etc)HSK 7, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zǎiTaiwan pr. [zai4]HSK 7, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàiyearHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàito record in writing (Taiwan pr. for this sense is [zài])HSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàito carryHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàito conveyHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàito loadHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàito holdHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàito fill upHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàiandHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàialsoHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàias well asHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàisimultaneouslyHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàiload; to carry, to convey, to transportHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàito record in writingHSK 7, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard, stative, transitive
载zàito carry (i.e. publish in a newspaper etc)HSK 7, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
载zàiTaiwan pr. [zai4]HSK 7, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 戈, rank #2500, Very Hard
zǎi(zai3)
primary
 T3
  1. 1year
  2. 2to record in writing (Taiwan pr. for this sense is [zài])
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

载(載)zǎi(zai3)

载 (zǎi) primarily means 'to carry' or 'to load.' It can refer to physical transportation, such as carrying goods, as well as abstract concepts like conveying information or recording something in writing. In different contexts, it can also indicate simultaneous actions or connections, such as 'also' or 'as well as.'

Strokes10Radical戈Frequency#2500DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

载 is often encountered in discussions about transportation and logistics in modern China, reflecting the country's extensive infrastructure development. Its use in publishing and recording is also significant in the context of China's emphasis on documentation and history.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'zai' (sounds like 'zai') loaded up with goods on a cart. The character 载 looks like a cart (the top part) carrying a load (the bottom part), helping you remember that it means to carry or load something.

Meanings of 载

zǎi(zai3)
primary
1year
2to record in writing (Taiwan pr. for this sense is [zài])
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 载

载Simplified
載Traditional
10Strokes
戈Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2500Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 载

JasonAmy

Podcast: 载

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 载

Quick Contrast

载 (zǎi) vs 携 (xié) — choose 载 when emphasizing the act of carrying or loading, while 携 is preferred for the notion of accompanying or bringing along.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the pronunciation, as it can be confused with similar-sounding words. The character is often used in both formal and informal contexts, so understanding its nuances will aid in proper usage. Common collocations include 载货 (load goods) and 载文 (record in writing).

HSK Study Tips

As an advanced character not found in lower HSK levels, learners should focus on its multiple meanings and contexts. Connecting it with other transport-related verbs like 运 (to transport) can be helpful for understanding its usage in sentences.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 载 with similar characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 载 to mean 'to write' without context can be misleading; remember it primarily relates to carrying or loading.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 载

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Etymology of 载

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

Simplified form of 載. Phonosemantic compound. 車 represents the meaning and 𢦔 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

cart

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 载

Simplified form of 載. Phonosemantic compound. 車 represents the meaning and 𢦔 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half车 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half哉 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaycart
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 载? 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 载?

Decomposition of 载

IDS Structure⿹哉车
载Full Character
=
哉zai1
enclosing
车Che1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 载?

How to say year in Chinese

“year” in Chinese is载zǎi

载 (zǎi) primarily means 'to carry' or 'to load.' It can refer to physical transportation, such as carrying goods, as well as abstract concepts like conveying information or recording something in writing. In different contexts, it can also indicate simultaneous actions or connections, such as 'also' or 'as well as.'

When to use 载

Be cautious with the pronunciation, as it can be confused with similar-sounding words. The character is often used in both formal and informal contexts, so understanding its nuances will aid in proper usage. Common collocations include 载货 (load goods) and 载文 (record in writing).

载 or something close to it

载 (zǎi) vs 携 (xié) — choose 载 when emphasizing the act of carrying or loading, while 携 is preferred for the notion of accompanying or bringing along.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 载 with similar characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 载 to mean 'to write' without context can be misleading; remember it primarily relates to carrying or loading.

Write 载

载

Practice writing 载 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 载

载 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 15 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.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他在用你家里的电源给他的车____蓄电池充电。

He is using your mains electricity to recharge his car battery.

Common Confusions with 载

载vs再
zài

Similar pronunciation but different meaning.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "year"?

or

Example Sentences for 载 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他在用你家里的电源给他的车载蓄电池充电。

tā zài yòng nǐ jiā lǐ de diàn yuán gěi tā de chē zǎi xù diàn chí chōng diàn。

He is using your mains electricity to recharge his car battery.
2
并未发现这艘船上载有任何违禁物品。

bìng wèi fā xiàn zhè sōu chuán shàng zǎi yǒu rèn hé wéi jīn wù pǐn。

The ship was found not to be carrying any contraband.
3
他拉黄包车，这可能是人类最古老的载客服务形式了。

tā lā huáng bāo chē， ， zhè kě néng shì rén lèi zuì gǔ lǎo de zǎi kè fú wù xíng shì。

He pulls a rickshaw, probably the oldest form of human taxi service.
4
运载急需食物和药品的飞机今天在巴格拉姆机场降落。

yùn zǎi jí xū shí wù hé yào pǐn de fēi jī jīn tiān zài bā gé lā mǔ jī cháng jiàng luò。

Planes landed at Bagram airport today carrying badly needed food and medicine.
5
内置有断路器，防止设备过载。

nèi zhì yǒu duàn lù qì， ， fáng zhǐ shè bèi guò。

There is an internal circuit breaker to protect the instrument from overload.
6
机器能自动将需要的信息下载到传真机上。

jī qì néng zì dòng jiāng xū yào de xìn xī xià zǎi dào chuán zhēn jī shàng。

The machine automatically downloads the required information to his or her fax.
7
由于版面有限，我们不能保证把回复登载出来。

yóu yú bǎn miàn yǒu xiàn， ， wǒ mén bù néng bǎo zhèng bǎ huí fù dēng zǎi chū。

We can't promise to publish a reply as space is limited.
8
这些公共汽车将载着家属北上去探监。

zhè xiē gōng gòng qì chē jiāng zǎi zháo jiā shǔ běi shàng qù tàn jiān。

These buses will carry families upstate to visit relatives in prison.
9
载人宇宙飞行的前景看上去充满了越来越多的变数。

zǎi rén yǔ zhòu fēi háng de qián jǐng kàn shàng qù chōng mǎn le yuè lái yuè duō de biàn shù。

The future for manned space flight is looking increasingly uncertain.
10
对纽约的主要旅游胜地有详细的记载。

duì niǔ yuē de zhǔ yào lǚ yóu shèng dì yǒu xiáng xì de jì zǎi。

The main attractions of the Big Apple are well documented.

Word Family of 载

Compounds1
傤
Words Containing This Character20
载zǎito carry載
下载xiàzàito download下載
记载jìzǎito write down記載
转载zhuǎnzǎito forward (a shipment)轉載
载体zàitǐcarrier (chemistry)載體
承载chéngzàito sustain承載
装载to load裝載
千载难逢extremely rare (idiom)千載難逢
超载to overload超載
搭载to transport (people, a payload etc)搭載
满载full to capacity滿載
载入to load into載入
过载overload過載
连载serialized連載
负载load負載
载客to take passengers on board載客
载荷load載荷
载歌载舞singing and dancing (idiom); festive celebrations載歌載舞
刊载to publish刊載
载货freight載貨
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 载 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 载

Common phrases include 载货 (to load goods) and 载文 (to record in writing). These phrases highlight both physical and informational contexts.

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