When talking about furniture, 柜子 (guìzi) is a very common word you'll hear. It refers to any kind of cabinet or cupboard.
Think of it as a general term. You can put things inside a 柜子, like clothes in a 衣柜 (yīguì, wardrobe), or books in a 书柜 (shūguì, bookcase).
So, if you want to say 'cabinet' or 'cupboard' in Chinese, 柜子 is your go-to word.
When talking about furniture, 柜子 (guìzi) is your go-to word for 'cabinet' or 'cupboard'. Think of it as a general term for any piece of furniture with shelves and doors used for storage.
For example, if you want to say 'wardrobe' (for clothes), you'd specify it as 衣柜 (yīguì), literally 'clothes cabinet'. A bookshelf is 书柜 (shūguì), 'book cabinet'. So, 柜子 is the foundational word.
Understanding this will help you categorize different types of storage furniture in Chinese. It's a very practical word to know for daily life vocabulary.
柜子 in 30 Seconds
- 柜子 means cabinet or cupboard.
- You'll use it to talk about storing things.
- It's a common everyday word.
How Formal Is It?
"这间厨房里有许多设计精美的橱柜。(This kitchen has many beautifully designed cabinets.)"
"我把书放在书柜里了。(I put the books in the cabinet.)"
"这个柜好高啊！(This cabinet is so tall!)"
"把你的玩具收进小柜子里吧。(Put your toys into the little cabinet.)"
Pronunciation Guide
- Not pronouncing the 'i' in 'gui' as a 'way' sound.
- Mispronouncing 'zi' as 'zee' instead of a soft 'dzuh' sound.
Difficulty Rating
Two common characters. The character 柜 (guì) is often associated with furniture, making it recognizable in context. 子 (zi) is a common nominal suffix.
Both characters 柜 and 子 are relatively simple with a moderate number of strokes and common radicals. Writing practice will be straightforward.
The pinyin guì zi is easy to pronounce for English speakers. The tones are a falling tone (guì) followed by a neutral tone (zi), which are standard.
The pronunciation is distinct and the word is common, so it's easy to pick out in spoken Chinese, especially in the context of household items.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Examples by Level
我把书放在柜子里。
I put the books in the cabinet.
Here, '把' (bǎ) is used to indicate the disposal of an object. '在...里' (zài...lǐ) indicates location.
厨房里有一个很大的柜子。
There is a very big cabinet in the kitchen.
'有' (yǒu) means 'to have' or 'there is/are'. '很大' (hěn dà) means 'very big'.
请打开柜子。
Please open the cabinet.
'请' (qǐng) means 'please'. '打开' (dǎkāi) means 'to open'.
衣服在衣柜里。
The clothes are in the wardrobe (clothes cabinet).
'衣柜' (yīguì) specifically refers to a wardrobe, a type of cabinet for clothes.
这个柜子是新的。
This cabinet is new.
'这个' (zhège) means 'this'. '新的' (xīnde) means 'new'.
我喜欢白色的柜子。
I like white cabinets.
'喜欢' (xǐhuān) means 'to like'. '白色的' (báisède) means 'white'.
他把杯子放进柜子。
He put the cups into the cabinet.
'放进' (fàngjìn) means 'to put into'.
柜子上面有很多灰尘。
There is a lot of dust on top of the cabinet.
'上面' (shàngmiàn) means 'on top of'. '很多' (hěnduō) means 'a lot of'.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
打开柜子
open the cabinet
关上柜子
close the cabinet
柜子里有什么？
What's in the cabinet?
把书放进柜子
Put the books into the cabinet.
从柜子里拿出来
Take it out from the cabinet.
柜子很高
The cabinet is tall.
这个柜子很旧
This cabinet is old.
买一个新柜子
buy a new cabinet
把东西整理到柜子里
Organize things into the cabinet.
柜子是木头做的
The cabinet is made of wood.
Often Confused With
While both are furniture, 柜子 is for storage with doors/drawers, while 桌子 is a flat surface for working or eating.
Both are furniture, but 柜子 is for storage and 椅子 is for sitting.
Both are for storage, but 柜子 usually has doors or drawers to enclose items, while 架子 is typically open shelving.
Easily Confused
Both 柜子 and 盒子 can refer to containers. However, 盒子 is typically much smaller and portable.
柜子 (guìzi) is a piece of furniture, usually large and stationary. 盒子 (hézi) is a box, usually small and movable.
这个 柜子 里 有 很多 盒子. (zhège guìzi lǐ yǒu hěn duō hézi.) In this cabinet there are many boxes.
Similar to 盒子, both are containers. However, 箱子 is typically larger than 盒子 but still portable, unlike 柜子.
柜子 (guìzi) is a piece of furniture. 箱子 (xiāngzi) is a trunk, chest, or suitcase.
我 把 衣服 放 在 箱子 里, 然后 把 箱子 放 在 柜子 里. (wǒ bǎ yīfu fàng zài xiāngzi lǐ, ránhòu bǎ xiāngzi fàng zài guìzi lǐ.) I put my clothes in the suitcase, and then put the suitcase in the cabinet.
橱柜 literally means 'cupboard cabinet', and it's a type of 柜子. The confusion often comes from whether they are interchangeable.
柜子 (guìzi) is a general term for a cabinet or cupboard. 橱柜 (chúguì) specifically refers to a kitchen cabinet or a wardrobe/closet for clothes.
厨房 里 的 橱柜 是 新 的. (chúfáng lǐ de chúguì shì xīn de.) The kitchen cabinets are new.
衣柜 is a specific type of 柜子 designed for clothes. Learners might wonder when to use the general term vs. the specific term.
柜子 (guìzi) is a general term. 衣柜 (yīguì) is specifically a wardrobe or closet for clothes.
我 的 衣柜 里 有 很多 衣服. (wǒ de yīguì lǐ yǒu hěn duō yīfu.) My wardrobe has many clothes.
Similar to 衣柜, this is a specific type of 柜子 for books. The distinction between general and specific can be tricky.
柜子 (guìzi) is a general term. 书柜 (shūguì) is specifically a bookcase or bookshelf.
我 的 书柜 里 有 很多 书. (wǒ de shūguì lǐ yǒu hěn duō shū.) My bookcase has many books.
Word Family
Nouns
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions柜子 (guìzi) is a more general term for any cabinet or cupboard. 橱柜 (chúguì) specifically refers to kitchen cabinets.
You can say 书柜 (shūguì). 书 (shū) means book, so literally 'book cabinet'.
Yes, it can. For example, a locker at a gym or school would be a 储物柜 (chǔwùguì), which means 'storage cabinet'.
A common phrase is 在柜子里 (zài guìzi lǐ), meaning 'in the cabinet'.
Yes, it's countable. You'd say 两个柜子 (liǎng ge guìzi). 个 (gè) is the general measure word.
You can say 红色的柜子 (hóngsè de guìzi) for 'red cabinet', or 木头的柜子 (mùtou de guìzi) for 'wooden cabinet'.
No, the tones of 柜子 (guìzi) remain the same regardless of the type of cabinet.
Yes, you can. A wardrobe is often called 衣柜 (yīguì), literally 'clothes cabinet'.
You can ask 柜子在哪儿？ (Guìzi zài nǎr?) or 柜子在哪里？ (Guìzi zài nǎli?)
柜子 is a neutral term, suitable for both formal and informal contexts. There isn't a more formal or informal equivalent that is commonly used.
Test Yourself 42 questions
This sentence means 'The book is in the cabinet.' In Chinese, the structure is often Subject + Verb + Location + Object, or Subject + Location + Verb + Object. Here, '书' (book) is the subject, '在' (at/in) is the verb, '柜子' (cabinet) is the location, and '里' (inside) specifies the position.
This means 'This is a cabinet.' '这' (this) is the subject, '是' (is) is the verb, and '一个柜子' (a cabinet) is the object. '一个' (yī ge) is the measure word for '柜子' (guì zi).
This translates to 'My clothes are in the cabinet.' '我的衣服' (my clothes) is the subject, '在' (at/in) is the verb indicating location, and '柜子' (cabinet) is where the clothes are.
Choose the correct sentence: Where is the cabinet?
To ask 'Where is X?', the correct structure is 'X 在哪里?'.
Which sentence correctly describes putting something into the cabinet?
The '把' (bǎ) structure is used to indicate an object being acted upon. The structure is 'Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + (complement/location)'.
How would you say 'The cabinet is full of clothes'?
To express 'inside the cabinet', we use '柜子里'. '都是' means 'all are' or 'is full of' in this context.
The sentence '这个柜子是木头的' means 'This cabinet is made of wood'.
'是...的' is a common structure to indicate the material or origin of something.
You can use '柜子' to refer to a person's height.
'柜子' specifically refers to furniture for storage. It is not used to describe height.
The sentence '请把文件放在柜子上面' means 'Please put the documents inside the cabinet'.
'上面' means 'on top of'. To say 'inside', you would use '里面' (lǐmiàn).
This sentence means 'Put the books into the cabinet.' It follows the '把' (bǎ) structure for disposing of something.
This sentence translates to 'This cabinet is for putting clothes in.' The structure '是...用来...的' (shì...yònglái...de) indicates purpose.
This means 'Please open the bottommost cabinet.' '最下面' (zuì xiàmiàn) indicates the lowest position.
她把所有的旧书都放进了___，让房间看起来更整洁了。
根据上下文，旧书应该放在柜子里才能让房间看起来更整洁。
厨房的___里有各种调料和餐具，非常方便。
厨房里存放调料和餐具的地方通常是柜子。
他打开___，取出了那件珍藏多年的纪念品。
纪念品通常保存在柜子里。
为了节省空间，我们决定买一个带多层___的衣柜。
衣柜通常带有用于存放衣物的柜子或抽屉。
文件都被整齐地放在办公室的___里，方便查找。
文件通常放在办公室的柜子里进行归档和查找。
她把秘密藏在了卧室一个旧___的深处。
秘密通常会藏在隐蔽的地方，例如旧柜子的深处。
The speaker is giving instructions about organizing old files.
The speaker is talking about a complaint regarding kitchen storage.
The speaker is recalling where a specific document was placed.
Read this aloud:
你认为什么样的柜子设计最适合现代简约风格的客厅？
Focus: 柜子 (guìzi)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
请详细描述一下，你理想中的厨房柜子应该具备哪些功能和特点。
Focus: 厨房 (chúfáng), 柜子 (guìzi)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
如果你的办公室空间有限，你会如何选择和布置柜子来最大化存储效率？
Focus: 选择 (xuǎnzé), 布置 (bùzhì), 柜子 (guìzi)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Describe a time you had to organize a cluttered space. What challenges did you face, and how did you use cabinets or other storage solutions to bring order?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
我最近搬进了新公寓，厨房里的杂物堆得到处都是，简直一团糟。最大的挑战是厨具和调料瓶太多，没有足够的空间存放。我决定购买几个多功能柜子，把不常用的物品放进去，这样台面就显得宽敞多了。我还买了一些抽屉分隔板，把小件物品分类放置。现在厨房看起来整洁多了，做饭也更有效率。
Imagine you are an interior designer. Your client wants to maximize storage in a small apartment. How would you incorporate custom-built cabinets or modular storage units to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing living space?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
对于小户型公寓，我会建议客户考虑多功能定制柜子，例如将电视柜与书柜、储物柜融为一体，充分利用墙面空间。客厅可以设计一个隐藏式壁柜，既能收纳杂物，又不影响整体美观。卧室则可以利用床底空间定制抽屉式储物柜，或者设计入墙式衣柜，实现最大化的储物功能。此外，模块化的组合柜也是不错的选择，可以根据需求灵活调整。
Discuss the cultural significance of traditional Chinese cabinets (e.g., wedding cabinets, medicine cabinets). How do their design, materials, and intended use reflect specific cultural values or historical contexts?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
传统中式柜子承载着深厚的文化意义。例如，嫁妆柜（如红漆大婚柜）通常用上等木材制作，雕刻精美，寓意着家族的财富与对新婚夫妇的美好祝愿。其坚固耐用象征着婚姻的稳固。中药柜则以其百子柜的形式闻名，每个小抽屉存放一味药材，体现了中医的精细分类和对药效的严谨态度。这些柜子的设计和用材，无不反映了当时社会的审美情趣、实用需求以及对生活秩序的追求。
根据文章，现代柜子在功能上与传统柜子最大的不同点是什么？
Read this passage:
在现代家居设计中，柜子的功能已远超简单的储物。它们常常成为空间分隔的元素，或是艺术品展示的载体。智能柜子的出现，更是将科技融入日常生活，例如自动感应灯光、恒温保鲜功能，极大地提升了居住的舒适度和便利性。设计师们在材料选择上也大胆创新，从传统的实木到金属、玻璃、甚至新型复合材料，力求在实用与美学之间找到最佳平衡点。
根据文章，现代柜子在功能上与传统柜子最大的不同点是什么？
文章明确提到“智能柜子的出现，更是将科技融入日常生活，例如自动感应灯光、恒温保鲜功能，极大地提升了居住的舒适度和便利性”，并指出“功能已远超简单的储物”。
文章明确提到“智能柜子的出现，更是将科技融入日常生活，例如自动感应灯光、恒温保鲜功能，极大地提升了居住的舒适度和便利性”，并指出“功能已远超简单的储物”。
文章指出定制柜子受欢迎的主要原因不包括哪项？
Read this passage:
随着消费升级和个性化需求的增长，定制家具市场蓬勃发展。其中，定制柜子因其能完美契合空间尺寸、风格统一以及功能多样等优势，受到越来越多消费者的青睐。然而，定制过程涉及设计沟通、材料选择、生产周期等多个环节，消费者在选择时需谨慎，以免出现货不对板或质量问题。
文章指出定制柜子受欢迎的主要原因不包括哪项？
文章中提到了定制柜子受欢迎的优点包括“完美契合空间尺寸”、“风格统一”和“功能多样”，但没有提及“价格低廉”作为其受欢迎的原因。
文章中提到了定制柜子受欢迎的优点包括“完美契合空间尺寸”、“风格统一”和“功能多样”，但没有提及“价格低廉”作为其受欢迎的原因。
根据文章，为什么说在某些文化语境中，柜子的价值超越了物质本身？
Read this passage:
在一些特定的文化语境中，柜子不仅是家具，更是承载记忆和情感的容器。例如，老旧的衣柜可能保存着祖辈的衣物，每一次打开都仿佛触碰历史的温度；书柜中收藏的书籍，记录着个人的成长轨迹和知识积累。这些“有故事”的柜子，其价值已超越了物质本身，成为了家庭情感和文化传承的重要载体。
根据文章，为什么说在某些文化语境中，柜子的价值超越了物质本身？
文章明确指出，老旧的衣柜和书柜“承载着记忆和情感”，并且“其价值已超越了物质本身，成为了家庭情感和文化传承的重要载体”。
文章明确指出，老旧的衣柜和书柜“承载着记忆和情感”，并且“其价值已超越了物质本身，成为了家庭情感和文化传承的重要载体”。
This sentence means 'Put the documents into the cabinet.' It follows the '把' (bǎ) construction for directing an action.
This sentence translates to 'That old cabinet already has decades of history.' It describes the age of the cabinet.
This sentence means 'She opened the kitchen cabinet to look for a bowl.' It shows the action of opening a cabinet.
/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
柜子 (guìzi) is the basic word for 'cabinet' or 'cupboard' in Chinese, useful for describing furniture.
- 柜子 means cabinet or cupboard.
- You'll use it to talk about storing things.
- It's a common everyday word.
