Learn a Chinese Character - 课

1. Character Basics

Radical: 讠 (speech radical)

Stroke Count: 10

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: kè

3. Meaning

English meaning: lesson, class, course, subject

4. Common Words

• 课程 (kè chéng) - course, curriculum
• 上课 (shàng kè) - attend class, have a lesson
• 课本 (kè běn) - textbook
• 课堂 (kè táng) - classroom
• 课时 (kè shí) - class hour, teaching period

5. Grammar & Usage

Usage notes:

• 作为名词，表示教学活动或内容：今天有三节课。(We have three classes today.)
• 常见动词搭配：上课、讲课、听课、备课
• 常见名词搭配：课本、课堂、课程、课时
• 可以用作量词：一课书、两课内容

6. Cultural Background

In Chinese education, the concept of "课" (lesson/course) has evolved over thousands of years. Traditional Chinese education focused on classics and rote memorization, but modern education system has adopted a more comprehensive approach. The character "课" combines the speech radical with "果", suggesting the idea of fruitful learning through instruction.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

Mnemonic: The character "课" has "讠" (speech) on the left and "果" (fruit) on the right. Imagine a teacher speaking (讠) in class (课) and students收获知识的果实 (果).