颗 (kē) - A measure word for small, round, granular objects & originally meant 'small head' or 'small piece'.

颗Tone 1

kē ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

颗 · kē

A measure word for small, round, granular objects;

originally meant 'small head' or 'small piece'.

A measure word for small, round, granular objectsoriginally meant 'small head' or 'small piece'.

Usage highlights

GrainPearlStarToothHeartBean

Synonyms

  • 粒— Measure word for very small granular objects
  • 枚— Measure word for small objects, coins, medals

Antonyms

  • 张— Measure word for flat objects (paper, tables)
  • 条— Measure word for long, thin objects (roads, rivers)
  • 块— Measure word for chunks, pieces, lumps

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • A grain of rice(一颗米)
  • A pearl(一颗珍珠)
  • A star in the sky(一颗星星)
  • A tooth(一颗牙齿)
  • A heart(一颗心)

Collocations

  • Grain(颗粒)
  • Pearl(珍珠颗)
  • Star(星星颗)
  • Tooth(牙齿颗)
  • Heart(心颗)
  • Bean(豆颗)

Idioms

  • Every grain and every drop(颗粒归仓)
  • A grain of rice(一颗米)
  • A grain of sand(一颗沙)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally derived from the meaning 'small head', evolved to become a specialized measure word.
  • Used specifically for small, round, or granular objects rather than flat or elongated ones.
  • Reflects Chinese language's extensive system of measure words that categorize objects by shape and nature.

FAQ