How to Write 秤 (chēng/chèng) — Meaning “scale; balance”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember the character 秤?

Imagine a farmer holding a level stick (平) next to a bundle of grain (禾) to weigh it. The image of balancing grain helps recall that 秤 means scale.

Q: What should I watch out for when writing 秤?

The left radical 禾 has a dot on top, not a horizontal stroke. The right part 平 has a short horizontal line at the top, then a long horizontal below, and the vertical stroke must align with the center. Keep the overall width balanced.

Q: How can I distinguish 秤 from similar characters like 秆 and 秉?

秤 has 平 on the right and means scale. 秆 has 干 on the right and means stalk of grain. 秉 has a modified 禾 with a hand (彐) below and means to grasp or hold. Notice the right-side differences: 平 vs. 干 vs. a hand symbol.

Q: In what situations is 秤 used in modern Chinese?

You see 秤 in words like 电子秤 (electronic scale) at markets or shops. A traditional 秤杆 (steelyard beam) is still used in some outdoor markets. It is a common character for weighing objects, both in daily life and in cultural references to fairness.

Q: What common words use 秤?

Common words containing 秤 include: 电子秤 (diàn zi chèng) — electronic scale; 秤杆 (chèng gǎn) — steelyard beam; 台秤 (tái chèng) — platform scale.

chēng/chèng HSK Level 7 10 strokes Radical: 禾

秤 (chēng/chèng) means "scale; balance" in Chinese. It has 10 strokes with the radical 禾, and is HSK Level 7.

Rated 4.2/5 in difficulty (advanced).

Harder than 76% of HSK Level 7 characters.

Appears in 4+ common words including 电子秤 (diàn zi chèng), 秤杆 (chèng gǎn), 台秤 (tái chèng).

Due to its 10 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 秤 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Stroke order practice for 秤 - chēng/chèng

Practice Writing 秤 (chēng/chèng)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 秤 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 秤

The character 秤 (chēng/chèng) is written with 10 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 禾 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does chēng/chèng (秤) Mean in Chinese?

秤 means scale; balance.

This is a polyphonic character with readings: chēng, chèng.

As an HSK Level 7 character, 秤 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	秤
Pinyin	chēng / chèng (cheng)
Meaning	scale; balance
Strokes	10
Radical	禾
HSK Level	7
Difficulty	4.2/5

Origin of 秤

秤 is a compound character with the radical 禾 (grain) indicating its use for weighing agricultural products, and the component 平 (level/balance) providing the phonetic hint while also suggesting the evenness of a scale. Together, they depict a balance scale used to measure grain by achieving a level equilibrium.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine a grain stalk (禾) placed on a scale that must be perfectly flat (平) to get a fair weight.

Common Words with 秤

电子秤 diàn zi chèng

electronic scale

秤杆 chèng gǎn

steelyard beam

台秤 tái chèng

platform scale

秤量 chēng liáng

To weigh.

Example Sentences

这个电子秤很准。

zhè ge diàn zi chèng hěn zhǔn

This electronic scale is very accurate.

秤杆是木头做的。

chèng gǎn shì mù tou zuò de

The steelyard beam is made of wood.

用台秤称一下。

yòng tái chèng chēng yī xià

Weigh it with a platform scale.

请帮我秤量一下这些水果。

qǐng bāng wǒ chēng liáng yī xià zhè xiē shuǐ guǒ

Please help me weigh these fruits.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
秤 (current)	chēng / chèng	10	禾
秆	gǎn	8	禾
秉	bǐng	8	禾
秋	qiū	9	禾

Practice Writing 秤 (chēng/chèng)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 秤 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

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Frequently Asked Questions about 秤

What are the components of 秤 and how do they relate to its meaning?

The left side is 禾, meaning grain or rice plant. The right side is 平, meaning flat or level. Together, they suggest using a balance to measure grain evenly.

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 秤?

What should I watch out for when writing 秤?

How can I distinguish 秤 from similar characters like 秆 and 秉?

In what situations is 秤 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 秤?

How to Write 秤 (chēng/chèng) — Meaning “scale; balance”

Practice Writing 秤 (chēng/chèng)

How to Write 秤

What Does chēng/chèng (秤) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 秤

Common Words with 秤

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 秤 (chēng/chèng)

Frequently Asked Questions about 秤

More HSK Level 7 Characters

Characters with Radical 禾

Other 10-Stroke Characters