n.
Written records, documents, or texts inscribed on bamboo or silk. A book, letter, script, or volume; also handwriting or calligraphy.
书
Common Usage & Traps
- 看书 — to read (a book)
- 读书 — to read; to study; to be in school
- 一本书 — one book
- 好书 — a good book
- 买书 — to buy a book
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一个书一本书个 is the emergency measure word you grab when you don't know the real one. Books have their own: 本. 一个书 screams beginner.
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二本书两本书Before a measure word, 'two' is 两, not 二. 二本书 is a classic slip that native ears catch instantly.
If 看书 and 读书 both mean 'read', why does 他在读书 sound like he's in school?
看书 is the act of reading; 读书 usually smells like studying or school.
看书 literally means 'look at a book' — that is the everyday act of reading. 读书 leans toward studying: 我在读书 often means 'I'm hitting the books'. If someone says 他在读书, they may just mean he's still in school. So for a novel on the couch, say 我在看书. For textbooks, exams, or talking about student life, 读书 is the natural one. Both are real Chinese — they just point at different things.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Reading a novel for fun | 我在看书 | 我在读书 (sounds like homework) |
| Saying he's still a student | 他还在读书 | 他还在看书 |
| Talking about school life in general | 读书 | 看书 |
Why does 一个书 sound wrong when 一个人 and 一个苹果 are perfectly fine?
Books take 本, so it is always 一本书, never 一个书.
个 is the catch-all counting word for people and vague objects. Books have their own: 本, which once pictured a stack of bamboo slips. So it is 一本书, 两本书, 三本书 — always 本. Before a counting word, 'two' is 两, not 二, so 二本书 is wrong too. The same 本 covers notebooks, magazines and dictionaries.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Counting one book | 一本书 | 一个书 |
| Counting two books | 两本书 | 二本书 |
| Pointing at a specific book | 这本书 | 这个书 |
Can a book be 好看 the way a movie is, or does that word only belong to faces and clothes?
Yes, 这本书很好看 is normal — it means a good read or a pretty cover.
好看 is built on 'pleasing to the eyes'. For people and clothes it means good-looking. For movies and books it stretches into 'good to watch' or 'good to read'. Chinese picks the sense organ, not the word 'good': 好吃 for food, 好听 for music, 好看 for things you look at. So the story line 好书不好看 is a deliberate joke — it reads 好看 in its narrowest sense, where a good book is simply not something you look at.
“好电影好看，
好书不好看。” (A good movie is good to watch; a good book is not good to look at.)
“好电影好看，
好书不好看。” (A good movie is good to watch; a good book is not good to look at.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Praising a novel | 这本书很好看 | 这本书很好吃 |
| Praising dinner | 这个菜很好吃 | 这个菜很好看 |
| Praising a song | 这首歌很好听 | 这首歌很好看 |
Appears in Stories 3 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Discover how a simple letter from a cookie seller led to an unexpected friendship with a famous scholar. This heartwarming story explores kindness and connection across social divides.
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他除了做饼干、卖饼干，还爱读一点 书 ，喜欢与人讨论政治制度。
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如有我可以帮你小忙的事，如找你自己找不着的 书 之类，我一定很愿意做，”从此，元真便成了博士胡之适的“我的朋友”了。
This short poem plays with words that sound alike, comparing things that are good to watch, read, hear, or taste. Perfect for practicing basic adjectives like 好 and 真.
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好电影好看，好 书 不好看。
Ever noticed how similar Chinese words can be? This rhyme plays with place names and homophones, from schools to hotels, even throwing in Samsung's origin. A lighthearted way to boost your word power.
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书店有好 书 ，饭店吃和住，酒店没有酒。
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