noun HSK 2
Traditional 紙
paper
Meaning
纸 is the standard word for paper in Chinese. It refers to the material made from wood pulp or other fibers used for writing, printing, or wrapping. Paper has been central to Chinese civilization for over 2,000 years.
Usage
纸 is used in everyday contexts for all types of paper. Native speakers commonly specify the type with compound words like 纸张 (sheets of paper), 白纸 (blank/white paper), or 卫生纸 (toilet paper). It always takes the measure word 张 when counting individual sheets.
Examples
- 01请给我一张纸。.Please give me a sheet of paper.
- 02这种纸很薄，容易破。, .This kind of paper is very thin and tears easily.
Measure words
- 张一张纸
- 页三页纸
Common collocations
- 一张纸a sheet of paper
- 卫生纸toilet paper
- 纸上谈兵armchair strategist (idiom: discussing military matters on paper)
- 写在纸上to write on paper
Origin
The character 纸 combines the silk radical 纟(糸) on the left with 氏 (shì) as the phonetic component. Originally paper was made from silk fibers in ancient China before tree bark and other materials became common.