筷

kuài
快 + 竹

Definitions

kuài (noun) chopstick

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and 快 represents the sound.

Semantic: ⺮ Phonetic: 快

About

The character 筷 (kuài), meaning chopsticks, is a relatively recent addition to Chinese, replacing the older term 箸 (zhù) to avoid a homophonic taboo. It is a phono-semantic compound: the bamboo radical 竹 (zhú) at the top indicates the material, as early chopsticks were typically made of bamboo, while the component 快 (kuài, "fast") below primarily provides the sound. The phonetic component 快 also carries a folk-etymological link, as the original word 箸 was homophonous with 住 (zhù, "to stop"), an inauspicious association for sailors who preferred swift journeys. This character's creation illustrates how phonetic taboos can drive lexical change, with 筷 becoming the standard term for this essential dining implement.

Example Sentences Hide

我用筷子吃饭。

Wǒ yòng kuàizi chīfàn.

I eat with chopsticks.

她学习使用筷子。

Tā xuéxí shǐyòng kuàizi.

She learns to use chopsticks.

这些筷子是木制的。

Zhèxiē kuàizi shì mù zhì de.

These chopsticks are made of wood.

他拿起筷子夹菜。

Tā ná qǐ kuàizi jiā cài.

He picks up chopsticks to pick up food.

妈妈买了一双新筷子。

Māma mǎi le yī shuāng xīn kuàizi.

Mom bought a new pair of chopsticks.

我用筷子吃面条很容易。

Wǒ yòng kuàizi chī miàntiáo hěn róngyì.

It is easy for me to eat noodles with chopsticks.

如果你不会用筷子，可以用勺子。

Rúguǒ nǐ bù huì yòng kuàizi, kěyǐ yòng sháozi.

If you do not know how to use chopsticks, you can use a spoon.

这家餐厅提供的筷子是一次性的。

Zhè jiā cāntīng tígōng de kuàizi shì yīcìxìng de.

The chopsticks provided by this restaurant are disposable.

Related Characters

Component: 快

第 等 管 笑 算 答 策 简 笔 篇 筑 符 签 箱

Example Words

筷子 碗筷 公筷