Chinese Character: 粮
1. Character Basics
Radical: 米 (mǐ, rice radical)
Stroke Count: 13
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: liáng (Second tone)
3. Meaning
Grain; food; provisions; cereals; staple food; ration
4. Common Words
- 粮食 (liángshi) - grain; food; cereals
- 粮食 (liángshí) - grain; food; cereals (alternative writing)
- 粮仓 (liángcāng) - granary; barn
- 粮草 (liángcǎo) - army provisions; grain and fodder
- 粮油 (liángyóu) - grain and oil
- 干粮 (gānliáng) - solid food for journey; rations
- 粮价 (liángjià) - grain price
- 粮票 (liángpiào) - food coupon; grain ration ticket
5. Grammar & Usage
"粮" is a noun that primarily refers to grain, food, or provisions.
Grammar Patterns:
- 粮 + 名词: 粮食 (grain), 粮仓 (granary)
- 名词 + 粮: 干粮 (solid food), 存粮 (stored grain)
- 粮 + 动词: 粮荒 (food shortage), 粮价上涨 (grain prices rise)
- 数量词 + 粮: 一袋粮 (a bag of grain), 一吨粮 (a ton of grain)
6. Cultural Background
The character "粮" has deep cultural significance in Chinese civilization, which has traditionally been an agricultural society.
Throughout Chinese history, grain has been considered a precious resource, and the availability of food has been closely tied to social stability. The character appears in many ancient texts and proverbs related to agriculture and food security.
In the 20th century, during periods of food scarcity in China, the government implemented a food coupon system (粮票), where citizens needed coupons to purchase grain and other staples.
The importance of grain is also reflected in Chinese idioms, such as "民以食为天" (mín yǐ shí wéi tiān), meaning "food is heaven for the people" (food is the most important thing for people).
7. Example Sentence
中文: 农民们正在收割粮食，准备迎接丰收。
Pinyin: Nóngmínmen zhèngzài shōugē liángshi, zhǔnbèi yíngjiē fēngshōu.
English: Farmers are harvesting grain, preparing to welcome the harvest.
8. Memory Tips
The character "粮" (liáng) consists of the radical "米" (rice radical) and the character "良" (liáng, good).
To remember this character, think of it as "good rice" or "quality grain," which directly relates to its meaning of food and provisions.
Practice writing the character following the stroke order to help with memorization.
Associate the character with common words like "粮食" (grain) and "粮仓" (granary) to reinforce its meaning.
Listen to and practice the pronunciation "liáng" to become familiar with its sound.