层
floor; layer; story
HSK level
- Pinyin
- céng
- Part of speech
- measure word
- Level
- HSK 3
- Strokes
- 7
- Register
- neutral
Stroke order for 层
层 is written with 7 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
What does 层 mean?
层 (céng) is primarily a measure word meaning 'floor / story' (of a building) or 'layer' (of anything stacked).
Use it to count floors — 三层楼 (a three-story building), 我住在五层 (I live on the fifth floor) — and to count layers — 一层雪 (a layer of snow), 三层蛋糕 (a three-tier cake). Two important differences from English: first, in Mainland Mandarin floor numbering is identical to American style — 一层 = first floor (ground floor), 二层 = second floor, etc.
— unlike British English where 'first floor' is one above ground; second, 层 and 楼 (lóu) are often interchangeable for floors (五楼 and 五层 both mean 'fifth floor'), with 楼 more spoken and 层 slightly more written / official. Beyond buildings, 层 appears in abstract uses: 一层意思 (a layer of meaning), 上一层楼 (literally 'go up one floor,' idiomatically 'reach a higher level').
Example sentences
我家住在十二层。
Wǒ jiā zhù zài shí'èr céng.
My home is on the twelfth floor.
neutral
这是一栋三层的小楼。
Zhè shì yí dòng sān céng de xiǎo lóu.
This is a small three-story building.
neutral
蛋糕上有一层巧克力。
Dàngāo shàng yǒu yì céng qiǎokèlì.
There's a layer of chocolate on top of the cake.
spoken
请问，餐厅在几层？
Qǐng wèn, cāntīng zài jǐ céng?
Excuse me, what floor is the restaurant on?
polite
Common phrases with 层
Synonyms
Don't confuse 层 with
曾 (céng) means 'previously / once' — an adverb of past experience. Same pinyin as 层 but very different function. 曾经去过 (have been there before) vs 上一层 (one floor up).
FAQ
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