noun HSK 5
dice · die
Meaning
骰子 refers to dice, the small cubes with numbered faces used in games and gambling. The word combines 骰, which relates to bones (as dice were historically made from animal bones), with 子, a common noun suffix.
Usage
Used in both casual gaming contexts and gambling settings. Most commonly appears in phrases about throwing or rolling dice. While 骰子 typically refers to standard six-sided dice, it can refer to dice with other numbers of sides as well.
Examples
- 01我们玩游戏需要两个骰子。.We need two dice to play the game.
- 02他摇了摇骰子，然后扔在桌上。, .He shook the dice, then threw them on the table.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个骰子
- 颗两颗骰子
- 对一对骰子
Common collocations
- 掷骰子to throw dice
- 摇骰子to shake/roll dice
- 一对骰子a pair of dice
- 玩骰子to play dice
Origin
The character 骰 contains the bone radical (骨), reflecting the historical practice of making dice from animal bones or ivory. The 子 suffix is a common nominalizer in Chinese.