yuan (money); piece; chunk
HSK level
块 (kuài) has two HSK 1 jobs.
First and most common, it's the spoken measure word for Chinese currency: 十块钱 'ten yuan,' 一百块 'one hundred yuan.' The written/formal equivalent is 元 (yuán), but in everyday speech — at markets, taxis, restaurants — 块 is what you'll hear and say. Second, 块 is a general measure word for 'pieces / chunks' of solid things: 一块蛋糕 (a piece of cake), 一块肉 (a chunk of meat), 一块石头 (a stone). One thing English speakers often miss: when stating a price, the noun 钱 (qián, 'money') is usually dropped in fast speech — 多少钱?
五十块. 'How much? Fifty bucks.' The number-plus-块 alone is enough.
Note: 块 is the everyday spoken form for 元 (yuán). On price tags, contracts, and bank statements you'll see 元; in conversation almost everyone says 块. Using 元 in casual speech sounds overly formal.
这个多少钱？五块。
Zhège duōshǎo qián? Wǔ kuài.
How much is this? Five yuan.
spoken
我有一百块。
Wǒ yǒu yī bǎi kuài.
I have a hundred yuan.
spoken
请给我一块蛋糕。
Qǐng gěi wǒ yī kuài dàngāo.
Please give me a piece of cake.
polite
这本书十二块。
Zhè běn shū shí'èr kuài.
This book is twelve yuan.
spoken
块 is written with 7 strokes. Tap replay to watch each character drawn again.
元 is the written/formal counterpart of 块. Banks, receipts, and news report prices in 元; conversation uses 块. 一百元 (written) = 一百块 (spoken). Same value, different register.
片 is for FLAT, THIN pieces — slices: 一片面包 (a slice of bread), 一片肉 (a thin slice of meat). 块 is for CHUNKIER, three-dimensional pieces. 一块肉 is a thicker hunk; 一片肉 is a slice.
Acquire it by listening
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