Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

branch of study; administrative section; division; field; branch; stage directions

Chinese: 学科、类别或行政科室。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “ke” becomes a different word in each tone. 科 is the 1st tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 科学kē xuéscience; scientific knowledge; scientific; rational
  • 科学家kē xué jiāscientist
  • 科技kē jìscience and technology
  • 内科nèi kēinternal medicine; general medicine
  • 本科běn kēundergraduate course; undergraduate (attributive)

Example Sentence

我最喜欢的科目是历史。Wǒ zuì xǐ huan de kē mù shì lì shǐ.My favorite subject is history.

Izuìmost喜欢xǐ huanto likedeof科目kē mùacademic subjectshìis历史lì shǐhistory

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

禾 (grain) plus 斗 (a measuring dipper): to grade grain by measure — ‘a branch of study, subject; a department; a family (in biology); a rule/clause’ (科学, 学科, 内科).

A way to remember it

Grading grain (禾) by the dipper (斗) — a category, a subject.