Pinyin Syllable

Chinese characters pronounced zai

Learn common Chinese characters pronounced zai, including 在 zài, 再 zài, 载 zǎi / zài, 灾 zāi, 仔 zǐ / zī / zǎi. Compare tones, meanings, traditional forms…

How to Pronounce This Syllable

zai keeps the tongue flat behind the teeth for z (not curled), then glides into ai; say it in one beat and ride the tone through.

Initial z

Use a flat tongue. It is not English “z”.

Final ai

Settle the final ai into a steady mouth shape first, then lay the tone on top.

Study Tip

Start with the most common characters (在 zài, 再 zài, 载 zǎi / zài, 灾 zāi, 仔 zǐ / zī / zǎi) and lock in their tones. 7 common characters share the sound zai, so lean on words to tell the rest apart.

Learn by Tone

zai turns up here with 3 different tones; a change of tone usually means a different character, so the groups below are split by tone.

1st tone

Taking the 1st tone here: 灾, 栽 (2 in total). Lock this tone in your ear before the meaning.

灾zāidisaster; calamity 栽zāito force; to stick in; to plant

3rd tone

Taking the 3rd tone here: 载, 仔, 宰 (3 in total). Lock this tone in your ear before the meaning.

载zǎi / zàiyear; to carry; to convey; to load; to hold; and 仔zǐ / zī / zǎiduty; responsibility; minutely; young 宰zǎislaughter; butcher; govern; rule; official

4th tone

Taking the 4th tone here: 在, 再 (2 in total). Lock this tone in your ear before the meaning.

在zài(located) at; in; exist 再zàiagain; once more; re-; second; another

Common Words With This Sound

Seeing zai inside whole words makes it clear which character is meant — here are common ones.

现在xiàn zàinow; at present; currently 正在zhèng zàito be in the process of (doing sth); to be currently ...-ing 在家zài jiāto be at home; (at a workplace) to be in; (Buddhism etc) to remain a layman 再见zài jiàngoodbye; see you again later 再次zài cìonce more; once again 再说zài shuōto say again; to put off a discussion until later; moreover; what's more 下载xià zǎito download 记载jì zǎito write down; to record; written account 承载chéng zàito bear the weight; to sustain 火灾huǒ zāiserious fire (in a city or a forest etc)

Characters

7 common characters in this group.

Character#1 在 zài(located) at; in; existTraditional: 在 Character#2 再 zàiagain; once more; re-; second; anotherTraditional: 再 Character#3 载 zǎi / zàiyear; to carry; to convey; to load; to hold; andTraditional: 載 Character#4 灾 zāidisaster; calamityTraditional: 災 Character#5 仔 zǐ / zī / zǎiduty; responsibility; minutely; youngTraditional: 仔 Character#6 宰 zǎislaughter; butcher; govern; rule; officialTraditional: 宰 Character#7 栽 zāito force; to stick in; to plantTraditional: 栽