Chinese word

尺子

Pronunciation

Pinyinchǐ zi

Meaning

  • nounruler

Example

你有尺子吗？nǐ yǒu chǐ zi ma

Do you have a ruler?

Illustration for 尺子 (ruler)

More examples

他用尺子量了桌子的长度。tā yòng chǐ zi liàng le zhuō zi de cháng dù

He measured the length of the table with a ruler.

Core concept

A narrow, marked tool placed beside an object so its length can be read.

Common phrases

  • 一把尺子yì bǎ chǐ zi

    a ruler

  • 拿尺子ná chǐ zi

    take a ruler

  • 用尺子测量yòng chǐ zi cè liáng

    measure with a ruler

Similar words

直尺zhí chǐ: A straight, marked ruler used to measure length and draw straight lines.
卷尺juán chǐ: A flexible marked tape that rolls or folds up for measuring lengths and curves.
折尺zhé chǐ: A ruler made of hinged sections that folds up and opens out to measure long distances.

Definition in Chinese

用于测量长度的细长工具，通常有刻度，用来量物体的长短。yòng yú cè liáng cháng dù de xì cháng gōng jù tōng cháng yǒu kè dù yòng lái liàng wù tǐ de cháng duǎn

Word origin

The measuring sense of 尺 (chǐ, "length measure") combines with 子 (zi, "noun-forming suffix") to name a physical measuring tool.

Usage tips

  • When a child asks whether someone has one, the question commonly concerns borrowing a tool for drawing or checking a straight line.

Word lists with this word