HSK 3, n, 7 strokes, radical 纟, rank #1834, Medium
纸
zhǐ
paper
HSK 3, n, 7 strokes, radical 纟, rank #1834, Medium
纸
zhǐ
>张[zhāng],沓[dá]
HSK 3, n, 7 strokes, radical 纟, rank #1834, Medium
纸
zhǐ
classifier for documents, letter etc
HSK 3, n, 7 strokes, radical 纟, rank #1834, Medium
zhǐ(zhi3) T3
1>纸[zhǐ]
2paper
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
纸(帋)zhǐ(zhi3)
The character 纸 (zhǐ) means 'paper' and is commonly used in both everyday and formal contexts. It refers to various types of paper, including stationery, documents, and writing materials, and it can also function as a classifier for these items.
Strokes7Radical纟Frequency#1834DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, paper has significant historical importance, particularly in calligraphy and painting. The invention of paper is attributed to Cai Lun during the Han Dynasty, making it a crucial element of communication and art.
Memory Tip
Imagine a large piece of paper (纸) that is so big it can wrap around you like a dress. The 'zh' sound in 'zhǐ' can be thought of as the sound of tearing paper, which helps to remember its meaning.
Meanings of 纸
zhǐ(zhi3)
1paper
2classifier for documents, letter etc
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 纸
纸Simplified
帋Traditional
7Strokes
纟Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1834Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 纸
Podcast: 纸
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AI Study Notes for 纸
Quick Contrast
纸 (paper) vs 报纸 (newspaper) — use 纸 for general paper types, while 报纸 specifically refers to newspapers.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a large piece of paper (纸) that is so big it can wrap around you like a dress. The 'zh' sound in 'zhǐ' can be thought of as the sound of tearing paper, which helps to remember its meaning.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 纸 with its variant 紙 (zhǐ), which is used in traditional Chinese. It's important to use the correct form based on the writing system context. Common collocations include 纸张 (zhǐzhāng, 'sheet of paper') and 纸盒 (zhǐhé, 'paper box').
HSK Study Tips
As a basic noun, 纸 (zhǐ) connects with other HSK Level 1 and 2 words related to stationery, such as 笔 (bǐ, 'pen') and 本 (běn, 'notebook'). Focus on its usage in simple sentences to describe objects.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, paper has significant historical importance, particularly in calligraphy and painting. The invention of paper is attributed to Cai Lun during the Han Dynasty, making it a crucial element of communication and art.
Common Mistakes
Learners may mistakenly use the wrong tone, pronouncing it as zhi instead of zhǐ. Additionally, some may forget to use the correct classifier; for instance, saying '一纸' (yī zhǐ) instead of '一张纸' (yī zhāng zhǐ).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 纸
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Grammar Patterns of 纸
纸 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 4 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.
gè jiā bào zhǐ dū yǐ zhěng gè tóu bǎn xǐng mù dì kān dēng le zhè yī bào dào。
The newspapers splashed the story all over their front pages.
13
即使是内容严肃的报纸也认为这是一次胜利。
jí shǐ shì nèi róng yán sù de bào zhǐ yě rèn wéi zhè shì yī cì shèng lì。
Even the quality papers agreed that it was a triumph.
14
她拿起一张纸，把它哗哗啦啦地塞到打字机中。
tā ná qǐ yī zhāng zhǐ， ， bǎ tā huá huá lā lā dì sāi dào dǎ zì jī。
She took up a sheet and ratcheted it into the typewriter.
Cultural Notes for 纸
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, paper has significant historical importance, particularly in calligraphy and painting. The invention of paper is attributed to Cai Lun during the Han Dynasty, making it a crucial element of communication and art.
Word Family of 纸
Words Containing This Character20
纸zhǐpaper紙
报纸bàozhǐnewspaper報紙
纸条slip of paper紙條
纸巾napkin紙巾
图纸túzhǐblueprint圖紙
纸张paper紙張
纸杯paper cup紙杯
壁纸wallpaper壁紙
造纸papermaking造紙
纸牌playing card紙牌
卫生纸toilet paper衛生紙
废纸waste paper廢紙
纸币bank notes紙幣
墙纸wallpaper牆紙
纸片a piece, scrap or fragment of paper紙片
剪纸to make paper cutouts剪紙
纸板cardboard紙板
包装纸wrapping paper包裝紙
纸箱carton紙箱
贴纸sticker貼紙
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 纸 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 纸
You can say '我需要一张纸' (Wǒ xūyào yī zhāng zhǐ), which means 'I need a piece of paper.'
Yes, 纸 is the simplified version while 紙 is the traditional character, used in places like Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The common classifier for 纸 is 张 (zhāng), as in '一张纸' (yī zhāng zhǐ) for 'a piece of paper'.
