案 àn — (legal) case; incident; record; file; table
警察正在调查这个案件。Jǐng chá zhèng zài diào chá zhè ge àn jiàn.The police are investigating this case.
Common words: 答案 (dá àn)、方案 (fāng àn)、图案 (tú àn)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "case"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "case", including 案 (àn), 例 (lì), 套 (tào), 函 (hán), 盒 (hé). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "case" covers 5 different Chinese characters — 案 (àn), 例 (lì), 套 (tào), 函 (hán), 盒 (hé) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 5 characters do not share a sound — their readings span àn, lì, tào, hán, hé — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 案 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 案 àn(legal) case; incident; record; file; tableUseful words: 答案, 方案
- 例 lìexample; precedent; rule; case; instanceUseful words: 例如, 例子
- 套 tàoto cover; covering; case; cover; (a measure word; a set of something)Useful words: 外套, 手套
- 函 hánenvelope; case; letterUseful words: 函授, 公函
- 盒 hésmall box; caseUseful words: 盒子, 盒饭
Common words for these 5 "case" characters
Anchor each of these 5 characters in a word you can picture — start with 案 (àn) — so "case" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
答案dá ànanswer; solution方案fāng ànplan; program (for action etc); proposal; proposed bill图案tú àndesign; pattern例如lì rúfor example; for instance; such as例子lì zicase; (for) instance; example比例bǐ lìproportion; scale外套wài tàoouter garment; jacket; coat手套shǒu tàoglove; mitten套餐tào cānset meal; (fig.) product or service package (e.g. for a cell phone subscription)函授hán shòuto teach by correspondence
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 5 ways to say "case".
例 lì — example; precedent; rule; case; instance
请给我举一个例子。Qǐng gěi wǒ jǔ yí ge lì zi.Please give me an example.
Common words: 例如 (lì rú)、例子 (lì zi)、比例 (bǐ lì)
套 tào — to cover; covering; case; cover; (a measure word; a set of something)
天冷了，他穿上了一套厚衣服。Tiān lěng le, tā chuān shàng le yí tào hòu yī fu.It got cold, so he put on a set of thick clothes.
Common words: 外套 (wài tào)、手套 (shǒu tào)、套餐 (tào cān)
函 hán — envelope; case; letter
学校给家长寄去了一封感谢函。Xué xiào gěi jiā zhǎng jì qù le yì fēng gǎn xiè hán.The school sent a thank-you letter to the parents.
Common words: 函授 (hán shòu)、公函 (gōng hán)、函人 (hán rén)
盒 hé — small box; case
他从盒子里拿出了一块巧克力。Tā cóng hé zi lǐ ná chū le yí kuài qiǎo kè lì.He took a piece of chocolate out of the box.
Common words: 盒子 (hé zi)、盒饭 (hé fàn)、开盒 (kāi hé)
All 5 characters
Open 案、例、套 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.