ENESFRDE中文

Characters, words, pinyin or English

箱 xiāng box

box; case; chest; measure word for boxes

How to remember 箱: 𥫗 bamboo + 相 mutual = box. Moving out, the two roommates split the bamboo plates with mutual respect and pack them into one last box.

  • 1,453. most frequent character
  • HSK 3
  • 15 strokes
  • Radical 竹

Component breakdown

形声 · Meaning + sound

One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.

箱 = 𥫗 bamboo + 相 mutual

  • 𥫗 bamboo meaning
  • 相 mutual sound
    • 木 tree
    • 目 eye
The Gushi story

Moving out, the two roommates split the bamboo plates with mutual respect and pack them into one last box.

How it came to be

Bamboo gives the meaning and mutual gives the sound: a box made of bamboo.

How it is used

  • A box/case/chest, bamboo radical ⺮ from old wicker trunks: 箱子 (xiāngzi) suitcase/box, 冰箱 (bīngxiāng) refrigerator ('ice box').
  • Very productive: 邮箱 (yóuxiāng) mailbox (and email inbox), 后备箱 (hòubèixiāng) car trunk, 集装箱 (jízhuāngxiāng) shipping container.
  • Measure word note: a box of things is 一箱 (yì xiāng), e.g. 一箱苹果 (yì xiāng píngguǒ) a case of apples.

Words with 箱

Example sentences

  • 冰箱坏了。 Bīngxiāng huài le.The refrigerator is broken.
  • 箱子倒了。 Xiāngzi dǎo le.The box fell.
  • 那个箱子破了。 Nàge xiāngzi pò le.The trunk is broken.