石 shí / dàn — 10 pecks; rock; stone
小河里有很多光滑的石头。Xiǎo hé lǐ yǒu hěn duō guāng huá de shí tou.There are many smooth stones in the little river.
Common words: 石油 (shí yóu)、石头 (shí tou)、宝石 (bǎo shí)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "rock"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "rock", including 石 (shí / dàn), 岩 (yán). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "rock" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 石 (shí / dàn), 岩 (yán) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span shí, dàn, yán — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 石 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 石 shí / dàn10 pecks; rock; stoneUseful words: 石油, 石头
- 岩 yáncliff; rock; cliffUseful words: 岩石, 月岩
Common words for these 2 "rock" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 石 (shí / dàn) — so "rock" 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 "rock".
岩 yán — cliff; rock; cliff
海边的岩石被海浪冲刷得很光滑。Hǎi biān de yán shí bèi hǎi làng chōng shuā de hěn guāng huá.The rocks by the sea are worn smooth by the waves.
Common words: 岩石 (yán shí)、月岩 (yuè yán)、基岩 (jī yán)
All 2 characters
Open 石、岩 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.