床

• Pinyin: chuáng
• Hanzi breakdown: 床 = 广 (shelter radical) + 木 (wood) — a wooden sleeping platform under a roof

Meaning

Bed. A piece of furniture for sleeping.

Refers to any type of bed. The measure word for beds is 张: 一张床 (one bed). Appears in compounds like 床上 (on the bed), 起床 (get up from bed), 上床 (go to bed). A very common household noun.

Examples

1. 这张床很大。 This bed is very big.
2. 我想躺在床上。 I want to lie on the bed.
3. 房间里有两张床。 There are two beds in the room.

Usage Guide

Context: home, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 该上床睡觉了。(It's time to go to bed.)
• 快起床！(Get up!)

Don't Say

• 一个床 with the wrong measure word (Use 一张床, not 一个床 — the measure word for beds is 张)

Origin & History

Originally a pictograph depicting a raised platform for resting. The traditional form shows 木 (wood) as the material, reflecting that ancient Chinese beds were wooden frames.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal