Chinese word

筷子

Pronunciation

Pinyinkuài zi

Meaning

  • nounchopsticks

Example

我不会用筷子。wǒ bú huì yòng kuài zi

I can't use chopsticks.

Illustration for 筷子 (chopsticks)

More examples

孩子学着用筷子吃面条。hái zi xué zhe yòng kuài zi chī miàn tiáo

The child is learning to eat noodles with chopsticks.

Core concept

Two slim sticks work together as one tool, gripping food between their tips.

Common phrases

  • 用筷子吃饭yòng kuài zi chī fàn

    eat with chopsticks

  • 不会用筷子bú huì yòng kuài zi

    cannot use chopsticks

  • 一双筷子yì shuāng kuài zi

    a pair of chopsticks

Similar words

勺子sháo zi: A utensil with a rounded end for scooping food and soup.
叉子chā zi: A pronged utensil for piercing food or lifting it.
碗wǎn: A deep, rounded dish for serving rice, soup, and other food.
盘子pán zi: A flat dish for placing food on or serving it.

Definition in Chinese

用两根细棍成对夹取食物的餐具，通常由竹、木、金属或塑料制成，是中餐常用的餐具名称。yòng liǎng gēn xì gùn chéng duì jiā qǔ shí wù de cān jù tōng cháng yóu zhú mù jīn shǔ huò sù liào zhì chéng shì zhōng cān cháng yòng de cān jù míng chēng

Word origin

The character 筷 (kuài, "chopsticks") uses 竹 (zhú, "bamboo") to suggest its traditional material and 快 (kuài, "quick") for its sound, with 子 (zi, "noun-forming suffix") completing the noun.

Usage tips

  • Chinese treats the two pieces as a set, so 一双筷子 (yì shuāng kuàizi, "a pair of chopsticks") is the natural counting phrase.

Other meanings

  • Chinese chopsticksnoun

Word lists with this word