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壳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
壳qiàocasing, husk, shellHSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 士, rank #7668, Hard
壳qiàocarapaceHSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 士, rank #7668, Hard
壳qiàocrust (earth's crust etc)HSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 士, rank #7668, Hard
壳qiàoalso pr. [ké]HSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 士, rank #7668, Hard
壳qiàoalso pr. [ke2]HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 士, rank #7668, Hard
壳kécasing, husk, shellHSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 士, rank #7668, Hard
壳kécarapaceHSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 士, rank #7668, Hard
壳kécrust (earth's crust etc)HSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 士, rank #7668, Hard
壳kéalso pr. [ké]HSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 士, rank #7668, Hard
壳kéalso pr. [ke2]HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 士, rank #7668, Hard
ké(ke2)
primary
 T2
  1. 1casing, husk, shell
  2. 2carapace
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
壳(殼)ké(ke2)

壳 (ké) refers to the outer casing or shell of an object, such as the shell of an egg or the carapace of a turtle. It can also denote a crust, such as the earth's crust, and is used in various contexts to describe protective outer layers or coverings.

Strokes7Radical士Frequency#7668DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, shells are often associated with protection and nurturing, as seen in traditional beliefs about eggs being symbolic of new life. The concept of a protective shell resonates with the idea of safeguarding one's family or values.

Memory Tip

Imagine a turtle (the character's structure looks like a turtle's back) hiding inside its shell (壳) for safety. The '亻' on the left suggests a person, reminding you of the protective nature of shells for creatures.

Meanings of 壳

ké(ke2)
primary
1casing, husk, shell
2carapace
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 壳

壳Simplified
殼Traditional
7Strokes
士Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#7668Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 壳

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Podcast: 壳

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 壳

Quick Contrast

壳 (ké) vs 皮 (pí) — use 壳 for hard outer layers like shells, while 皮 refers to softer, more flexible skins or hides.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a turtle (the character's structure looks like a turtle's back) hiding inside its shell (壳) for safety. The '亻' on the left suggests a person, reminding you of the protective nature of shells for creatures.

Usage Notes

壳 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but be careful not to confuse it with 课 (kè), which means 'class' or 'lesson.' Common collocations include 蛋壳 (dànkè) for 'eggshell' and 地壳 (dìkè) for 'earth's crust.'

HSK Study Tips

壳 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, but it connects well with other HSK words related to nature and objects, such as 水 (shuǐ - water) and 土 (tǔ - earth). Focus on recognizing its usage in compound words.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, shells are often associated with protection and nurturing, as seen in traditional beliefs about eggs being symbolic of new life. The concept of a protective shell resonates with the idea of safeguarding one's family or values.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 壳 (ké) with 课 (kè), leading to mistakes in pronunciation and meaning. For example, saying '我在上壳' (Wǒ zài shàng ké) instead of '我在上课' (Wǒ zài shàng kè - I am attending class) can cause confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 壳

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Etymology of 壳

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Origin unclear.

Memory Hint

A shell discarded 冗 by a soldier 士

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 壳?

Decomposition of 壳

IDS Structure⿱士冗
壳Full Character
=
士Shi4
top
冗rong3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 壳?

Write 壳

壳

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

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Grammar Patterns of 壳

壳 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 5 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

用贝____来装点盒子、托盘、镜子甚至是花盆。

Use shells to decorate boxes, trays, mirrors or even pots.

Example Sentences for 壳 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
用贝壳来装点盒子、托盘、镜子甚至是花盆。

yòng bèi ké lái zhuāng diǎn hé zǐ、 、 tuō、 pán 、 jìng zǐ shèn zhì shì。

Use shells to decorate boxes, trays, mirrors or even pots.
2
几个空弹壳已经被找到。

jī gè kōng dàn ké yǐ jīng bèi zhǎo dào。

Several spent cartridges have already been found.
3
这辆汽车的外壳给人的感觉异常坚固。

zhè liàng qì chē de wài ké gěi rén de gǎn jué yì cháng jiān gù。

The solid feel of the car's shell is impressive.
4
她是壳牌公司法律事务部唯一的女性。

tā shì ké pái gōng sī fǎ lǜ shì wù bù wéi yī de nǚ xìng。

She was the only woman in Shell's legal department.
5
两只小鸟一出壳就离开了巢穴。

liǎng zhī xiǎo niǎo yī chū ké jiù lí kāi le cháo xué。

As soon as the two chicks hatch, they leave the nest burrow.
6
用粗剪将龙虾壳剪成小片。

yòng cū jiǎn jiāng lóng xiā ké jiǎn chéng xiǎo piàn。

Cut the lobster shells into small pieces with heavy-duty scissors.
7
谷壳捉不到老鸟.

gǔ ké zhuō bù dào lǎo niǎo.

An old bird is not to be caught with chaff.
8
直到1963年，甲壳虫乐队还只是半红不紫。

zhí dào1963 1963， nián ， jiǎ ké chóng lè duì huán zhī shì bàn hóng。

The Beatles enjoyed only middling success until
9
他用步枪瞄准，射出一枚子弹，然后退出空弹壳。

tā yòng bù qiāng miáo zhǔn， ， shè chū yī méi zǐ， dàn ， rán hòu tuì chū kōng。

He aimed his rifle, fired a single shot, then ejected the spent cartridge.
10
在病程长的病例中,蹄壳 、 角和被毛可能脱落.

zài bìng chéng cháng de bìng lì zhōng, , tí、 ké 、 jiǎo hé bèi máo kě néng.

In a prolonged course the hooves, horns and hair may slough.

Cultural Notes for 壳

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, shells are often associated with protection and nurturing, as seen in traditional beliefs about eggs being symbolic of new life. The concept of a protective shell resonates with the idea of safeguarding one's family or values.

Word Family of 壳

Compounds1
悫que4modest; sincere
Words Containing This Character20
壳késhell殼
外壳envelope外殼
弹壳ammunition case彈殼
贝壳bèikéshell貝殼
甲壳carapace甲殼
脑壳skull腦殼
地壳the Earth's crust地殼
躯壳the body (housing the soul)軀殼
蛋壳eggshell蛋殼
硬壳crust硬殼
金蝉脱壳a crafty escape plan金蟬脫殼
壳牌Shell (oil company)殼牌
屎壳郎dung beetle屎殼郎
脱壳to molt脫殼
安全壳containment vessel安全殼
稻壳rice husk稻殼
谷壳husk of grain穀殼
驳壳枪Mauser pistol駁殼槍
蚌壳clamshell蚌殼
甲壳类crustacean甲殼類
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 悫 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 壳

Common phrases include 蛋壳 (dànkè - eggshell) and 地壳 (dìkè - earth's crust).