类 lèi — kind; type; class; category; similar; like
商店里有各类水果。Shāng diàn lǐ yǒu gè lèi shuǐ guǒ.There are all kinds of fruit in the store.
Common words: 人类 (rén lèi)、类似 (lèi sì)、类型 (lèi xíng)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "category"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "category", including 类 (lèi), 属 (shǔ / zhǔ). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "category" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 类 (lèi), 属 (shǔ / zhǔ) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span lèi, shǔ, zhǔ — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 类 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 类 lèikind; type; class; category; similar; likeUseful words: 人类, 类似
- 属 shǔ / zhǔbelong to; category; be subordinate to; genus (taxonomy); be born in the year of (one of the 12 animals); family membersUseful words: 属于, 家属
Common words for these 2 "category" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 类 (lèi) — so "category" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
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 2 ways to say "category".
属 shǔ / zhǔ — belong to; category; be subordinate to; genus (taxonomy); be born in the year of (one of the 12 animals); family members
我属龙，你属什么？Wǒ shǔ lóng, nǐ shǔ shén me?I was born in the year of the dragon; what about you?
Common words: 属于 (shǔ yú)、家属 (jiā shǔ)、金属 (jīn shǔ)
All 2 characters
Open 类、属 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.