Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

to learn; to study; learning

Chinese: 学习、研究或模仿。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “xue” becomes a different word in each tone. 学 is the 2nd 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

  • 学校xué xiàoschool
  • 学生xué shengstudent; schoolchild
  • 学习xué xíto learn; to study
  • 大学dà xuéuniversity; college
  • 同学tóng xuéto study at the same school; fellow student; classmate

Example Sentence

我每天都在学校学习中文。Wǒ měi tiān dōu zài xué xiào xué xí Zhōng wén.I study Chinese at school every day.

I每天měi tiānevery daydōuallzàiat学校xué xiàoschool学习xué xíto learn中文Zhōng wénChinese language

Memory Note

The traditional form 學 can be linked with a child learning under guidance, which makes it easier to remember study or learning.

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

Simplified from 學: a child (子) under a roof, with hands and the idea of instruction above — a child being taught. It means ‘to study / learn’.

A way to remember it

A child under a roof receiving teaching from above — learning.

Easy to confuse with

  • ‘Character’: also a 子 under a roof, but with a plain roof and no ‘teaching’ strokes on top.