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身材 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
身材shēncáistatureHSK 5, n, rank #3050, Medium
身材shēncáibuild (height and weight)HSK 5, n, rank #3050, Medium
身材shēncáifigureHSK 5, n, rank #3050, Medium
shēncái(shen1cai2) T1
  1. 1stature
  2. 2build (height and weight)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
身材shēncái(shen1cai2)

身材 (shēncái) refers to a person's physical stature or body build, encompassing characteristics such as height, weight, and overall figure. It is commonly used in contexts discussing fitness, fashion, and health, often to describe someone's appearance positively or negatively.

Frequency#3050DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, physical appearance and body image can carry significant social implications, influencing perceptions in areas like dating and professional life. The concept of 身材 is often discussed with a focus on health and aesthetics.

Memory Tip

Think of 身 (shēn) as 'body' and 材 (cái) as 'material'—together they suggest the 'material' that makes up a person's 'body.' Imagine a sculptor molding a figure from clay, emphasizing how body shape can be both an artistic and personal expression.

Meanings of 身材

shēncái(shen1cai2)
1stature
2build (height and weight)
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 身材

身材Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#3050Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 身材

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Podcast: 身材

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AI Study Notes for 身材

Quick Contrast

体型 (tǐxíng) - use 身材 when emphasizing overall appearance, while 体型 focuses more on body shape.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 身 (shēn) as 'body' and 材 (cái) as 'material'—together they suggest the 'material' that makes up a person's 'body.' Imagine a sculptor molding a figure from clay, emphasizing how body shape can be both an artistic and personal expression.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 身材 with 背影 (bèiyǐng), which means 'silhouette' and focuses more on the outline than the build itself. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, but be aware that discussing someone's 身材 can be sensitive—ensure it's appropriate for the setting.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 5 word, 身材 connects well with other vocabulary related to health and fitness, such as 健康 (jiànkāng, health) and 瘦 (shòu, thin). Students should focus on using it in descriptive sentences and practicing collocations with adjectives like 好 (hǎo, good) or 差 (chà, poor).

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, physical appearance and body image can carry significant social implications, influencing perceptions in areas like dating and professional life. The concept of 身材 is often discussed with a focus on health and aesthetics.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 身材 with 体型 (tǐxíng), which refers specifically to body shape rather than the overall stature. For example, saying '她的体型很好' (tā de tǐxíng hěn hǎo) is less specific than using 身材 in this context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 身材

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Component Characters

身shēnbody
HSK 47 strokes身
View full entry
材cáimaterial
7 strokes木
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Write 身材

身
材

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

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Grammar Patterns of 身材

身材 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 3 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

Complete the Sentence

在我看来，要拥有完美____就要非常苗条。

My idea of physical perfection is to be very slender.

Example Sentences for 身材 (14)

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1
在我看来，要拥有完美身材就要非常苗条。

zài wǒ kàn lái， ， yào yōng yǒu wán měi shēn cái jiù yào fēi cháng miáo。

My idea of physical perfection is to be very slender.
2
珍妮非常漂亮，身材苗条，有一双蓝色的眼睛。

zhēn nī fēi cháng piāo liàng， ， shēn cái miáo， tiáo ， yǒu yī shuāng lán sè de。

Jean is pretty, of slim build, with blue eyes.
3
司机是个大约30岁的身材苗条的年轻女子。

sī jī shì gè dà yuē30 30 suì de shēn cái miáo tiáo de nián qīng nǚ。

The driver was a trim young woman of perhaps thirty.
4
卡萝尔身材高大，黑发棕肤，是个有着拉丁风情的女子。

kǎ luó ěr shēn cái gāo dà， ， hēi fā zōng， fū ， shì gè yǒu zháo lā dīng fēng qíng de。

Carol is a tall, dark, Latin type of woman.
5
他是个身材修长、表情庄重、皮肤黝黑的帅小伙。

tā shì gè shēn cái xiū cháng、 、 biǎo qíng zhuāng、 zhòng 、 pí fū yǒu hēi de shuài。

He was a slim, solemn, darkly handsome young man.
6
她是个身材修长的年轻女子。

tā shì gè shēn cái xiū cháng de nián qīng nǚ zǐ。

She was a young woman, fairly tall and fairly slim.
7
她是个身材高大的女子。

tā shì gè shēn cái gāo dà de nǚ zǐ。

She was quite a hefty woman.
8
他是个身材高大、令人生畏的人。

tā shì gè shēn cái gāo dà、 、 líng rén shēng wèi de。

He was a huge, intimidating figure.
9
他是个身材矮小的黑发男子。

tā shì gè shēn cái ǎi xiǎo de hēi fā nán zǐ。

He was a small, dark-haired man.
10
她暗示说女性总是处在保持身材异常瘦削的压力之下。

tā àn shì shuō nǚ xìng zǒng shì chǔ zài bǎo chí shēn cái yì cháng shòu xiāo de yā lì zhī xià。

She suggests that women are under constant pressure to be abnormally thin.
11
他的身材匀称，走起路来特别有气质。

Tā de shēncái yúnchèn, zǒu qǐ lù lái tèbié yǒu qìzhì.

His stature is well-proportioned, and he walks with a particular grace.
12
那位模特儿身材高挑，吸引了很多人的目光。

Nà wèi mótè'ér shēncái gāotiāo, xīyǐn le hěn duō rén de mùguāng.

The model's tall stature attracted a lot of attention.
13
健身房里有很多人为了改善身材而努力锻炼。

Jiànshēnfáng lǐ yǒu hěn duō rén wèile gǎishàn shēncái ér nǔlì duànliàn.

Many people in the gym are working hard to improve their stature.
14
他因为长期锻炼，身材变得非常健美。

Tā yīnwèi chángqī duànliàn, shēncái biàn dé fēicháng jiànměi.

His stature became very athletic due to long-term exercise.

Cultural Notes for 身材

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, physical appearance and body image can carry significant social implications, influencing perceptions in areas like dating and professional life. The concept of 身材 is often discussed with a focus on health and aesthetics.

Frequently Asked Questions about 身材

Not necessarily; it can be used neutrally or negatively depending on context and tone.