Chinese character · HSK 6
策 (cè) — “strategy / plan”
The character combines '竹' (bamboo) and '朿' (sound). Historically, state plans and military strategies were recorded on bamboo slips (竹简), which over time led the character to primarily mean 'strategy' or 'policy'.
How to remember 策
The grand STRATEGY is written on a bamboo (⺮) scroll, draped over a wooden stand (朿) for the general to review.
Inside the character
- 竹 (bamboo) — meaning component. Two stalks of bamboo — often marks bamboo, slats, or anything written on bamboo.
- 朿 — sound component.
Where 策 comes from
Originally, '策' referred to a bamboo horsewhip or a bamboo slip used for writing. Because ancient records and strategic plans were bundled as bamboo scrolls, the character evolved to mean 'strategy' or 'plan'.
Words that use 策
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 政策 | zhèng cè | policy | HSK 6 |
| 策略 | cè lu:è | strategy / tactics | HSK 6 |
| 策划 | cè huà | to plot / to scheme | HSK 6 |
Learn 策 the visual way. InkSeal pairs every HSK 1–6 character
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More characters: 算 (suàn, to calculate / to compute) · 系 (xì / jì, system / to connect) · 织 (zhī, to weave / to knit) — or browse the full character library.