层 céng — a measure word for layers; laminated; repeated; floor; story (of a building); layer
蛋糕一共有三层。Dàn gāo yí gòng yǒu sān céng.The cake has three layers in total.
Common words: 层次 (céng cì)、高层 (gāo céng)、层面 (céng miàn)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "floor"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "floor", including 层 (céng), 楼 (lóu). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words, and examples.
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "floor" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 层 (céng), 楼 (lóu) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span céng, lóu — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 层 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 层 cénga measure word for layers; laminated; repeated; floor; story (of a building); layerUseful words: 层次, 高层
- 楼 lóuhouse with more than 1 story; storied building; floorUseful words: 楼下, 楼上
Common words for these 2 "floor" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 层 (céng) — so "floor" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
层次céng cìlayer; level; gradation; arrangement of ideas高层gāo cénghigh-rise; high level; high class层面céng miànaspect; facet; level (political, psychological, spiritual etc); (geology) bedding plane楼下lóu xiàdownstairs楼上lóu shàngupstairs; (Internet slang) previous poster in a forum thread教学楼jiào xué lóuschool building; academic building
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 "floor".
楼 lóu — house with more than 1 story; storied building; floor
我们家住在这栋楼的五楼。Wǒ men jiā zhù zài zhè dòng lóu de wǔ lóu.Our home is on the fifth floor of this building.
Common words: 楼下 (lóu xià)、楼上 (lóu shàng)、教学楼 (jiào xué lóu)
All 2 characters
Open 层、楼 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.