m.
A clod of earth or a lump of soil. Measure word for chunks and pieces; colloquial term for a yuan (money).
块
Common Usage & Traps
- 三块钱 — three yuan (the everyday spoken way)
- 一块蛋糕 — a slice / piece of cake
- 一块儿去 — go together (the -r flips it into 'together')
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三个块三块块 is already the counting word. Stacking 个 in front is like saying 'three units of bucks'.
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三块人民币钱三块钱 or 三块人民币Pick one money word. 块 plus 人民币 plus 钱 is three labels fighting over the same number.
Why does 块 mean both 'a lump' and 'a yuan'?
Same word, two jobs: 块 began as 'a solid chunk' and old coins were literally chunks.
块 first meant a solid lump of something, like a chunk of cake or a rock. Ancient Chinese coins were little metal lumps, so people started counting cash in 块 too. So 一块蛋糕 is a physical piece, and 三块钱 is three coin-chunks. Think of English 'buck' — a physical thing repurposed for money. Context tells you which meaning is live.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| A piece of something | 一块蛋糕 (a slice) | 一个蛋糕 (that's a whole cake) |
| Counting money | 三块 | 三个块 |
| A lump of stone | 一块石头 | 一个块石头 |
When do I say 块 and when do I say 元 for money?
Say 块 out loud, write 元 on paper — and never put 块 on a bank form.
块 is the spoken word for yuan. 元 is the formal, written, on-the-record word. At a stall, on WeChat, or splitting a bill, everyone says 块. Prices, receipts, bank slips, and news reports all use 元. Same value, different room. Use 块 with friends and cashiers, 元 on anything official.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Talking to a cashier | 五块 | 五元 (sounds like a news anchor) |
| Bank form or receipt | 一百元 | 一百块 |
| Official or news price | 三千元 | 三千块 |
Do you say 三块 or 三块钱, and is 三块五 really '3.50'?
Both work; say 三块 for a quick price, and 三块五 quietly means 3.50 yuan.
块 and 块钱 are the same money at the register. Say 三块 when the price is right in front of you, like 'three, please.' Add 钱 when the money itself is the point, like stating what's in your pocket. For prices with change, natives drop the 毛: 三块五 just means 3.5 yuan. Real shops run on this.
“我有三块钱。” (I have three yuan.)
“我有三块钱。” (I have three yuan.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Quick price at a stall | 三块 | 三块人民币钱 |
| Stating what you have | 三块钱 | 三块人民币 (fine but stiff in chat) |
| 3.5 yuan | 三块五 | 三点五元 |
Does 我们一块去 mean 'let's go as one lump'?
一块儿 means 'together' — the little -r sound flips a piece of money into company.
一块 counts one chunk or one yuan. Add the -r sound and 一块儿 becomes an helper word meaning 'together.' In the north you'll hear it constantly: 一块儿吃饭, 一块儿走. Written Chinese often drops the 儿 and just writes 一块, so context is your only clue. If a verb follows, it means together.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Together | 我们一块儿走 | 我们一个块儿走 |
| A physical piece | 一块蛋糕 | 一块儿蛋糕 (means 'together cake') |
| One yuan | 一块 | 一块儿 (that's 'together', not cash) |
Appears in Stories 8 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
This humorous dialogue follows a man who spends all his savings on his girlfriend's Apple phone and a lucky number, leaving him broke. A fun read for HSK 3 learners.
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她还要换一个电话号码，我帮她选了一个888的号码——这个号码又要八百 块 。
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天啊，买完手机，换完新号，我的银行卡上只有一百 块 了！
Follow a traveler's unexpected hospital stay in China, where counting days and costs becomes practical learning. Practice numbers, dates, food prices, and simple descriptions of a doctor and room.
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饺子七 块 五，包子五 块 三。
Join a family on a sweltering Beijing Sunday as a boy learns a funny lesson about playing outside in the summer heat. Perfect for HSK 1 learners.
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请给我五 块 钱吧。
This playful poem helps you count and practice vocabulary about clothes, students, and pets. Enjoy the rhythm while learning new words.
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买了五只小猫，七百零五 块 钱。
Read this short story about people waiting in the rain for a new phone. You will practice numbers, time, and everyday vocabulary.
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苹果十九很贵，八千七百多 块 钱。
Shopping for fruit is a common daily task in China. Practice saying prices, counting items, and using simple shopping phrases while buying five apples for three yuan.
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我有三 块 钱。
This short, simple story follows a shopper's trip to the supermarket to buy apples. You'll learn useful vocabulary for shopping, prices, and comparing things.
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我有四十五 块 钱。
This short story follows a simple shopping trip in Beijing. You will learn words for buying a phone in Chinese.
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这个手机六千多 块 钱。
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