Meaning of 棵
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- classifier for trees, cabbages, plants etc
How to use 棵
棵 is a measure word for trees and other plants, including vegetables like cabbage and even blades of grass. It goes between a number or 这/那 and the noun. Example: 院子里有两棵树。(Yuànzi lǐ yǒu liǎng kē shù.) There are two trees in the yard.
棵 combines 木 (mù, tree) on the left with 果 (guǒ, fruit) on the right, which also hints at the sound. Picture a whole tree standing there with fruit on it, and you have the word you use to count trees.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 棵 (kē) with 颗 (kē), which sounds the same but counts small round things like 一颗星星 (yì kē xīngxing, a star) or 一颗心 (a heart). Remember that 棵 has the tree radical 木, so it is for plants.
棵 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
棵 kē · classifier for trees · 12 strokes
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Questions about 棵
What does 棵 mean?
棵 (kē) means "classifier for trees, cabbages, plants etc" and is used as a measure word.
How do you write 棵?
棵 is made of 1 character: 棵 (12 strokes). That is 12 strokes in total.
Is 棵 an HSK word?
Yes. 棵 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can I use 个 instead of 棵 for trees?
In casual speech some people say 一个树, but it sounds wrong to most native speakers. Use 一棵树 (yì kē shù) to sound natural.
Do I use 棵 for flowers?
For a whole flower plant you can say 一棵花, but for a single cut flower 一朵花 (yì duǒ huā) is much more common. 棵 focuses on the plant with its stem and roots.