类

• Pinyin: lèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 类 = simplified from 類; the traditional form contains 米 (rice) + 大 (big) + 犬 (dog) + 頁 (head), relating to sorting and classification

Meaning

Category; type; kind. Used to classify or group things together.

Functions both as a noun meaning category or type and as a suffix for classifying things. Common in compounds like 人类 (humanity), 分类 (classify), and 种类 (variety). As a suffix it means things of this kind, as in 鸟类 (birds as a category). Very useful for organising and describing groups of things.

Examples

1. 这类问题在考试中经常出现。 This type of question often appears in exams.
2. 图书馆的书按照不同的类分开放。 The books in the library are arranged by different categories.
3. 这一类电影我不太喜欢看。 I don't really like watching this kind of film.

Usage Guide

Context: classification, academic, daily life

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这类事情以后要注意。(Pay attention to this type of thing in the future.)
• 你喜欢哪一类音乐？(What type of music do you like?)

Don't Say

• 我买了三类苹果。(Don't use 类 as a measure word for counting individual items — use the right measure word: 三个苹果. 类 is for categories, not quantities.)

Origin & History

类 is simplified from 類. The traditional character contains 犬 (dog) and 頁 (head), suggesting grouping things by their kind — as one might sort animals by appearance.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal