文具盒
wénjùhé
The Chinese phrase for "pencil case" is 文具盒 (wénjùhé). Wiktionary also lists 筆盒 / 笔盒 (bǐhé) and 鉛筆盒 / 铅笔盒 (qiānbǐhé).
Meaning: object purposed to contain stationery (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 文具盒 | wénjùhé |
| 筆盒 / 笔盒 | bǐhé |
| 鉛筆盒 / 铅笔盒 | qiānbǐhé |
A pencil case is an object purposed to contain stationery.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 文具盒 is composed of 文具 (stationery) and 盒 (box/case).
Which one should you use?
文具盒 is a more general term for a stationery case, whereas 铅笔盒 specifically refers to a pencil case. 笔盒 is a shortened, more colloquial version of 铅笔盒 or 文具盒.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hong Kong and parts of Southern China, 筆袋 is commonly used for pencil case.
How do you pronounce it?
wénjùhé
Did you know?
- The term 文具 (stationery) literally translates to 'cultural tools', reflecting the traditional view of writing implements as essential tools for scholarship.
- Historically, the ancestor of the 文具盒 was the 筆筒, a brush pot usually made of bamboo or porcelain that stood vertically on a desk rather than lying flat.
- The character 铅 in 铅笔盒 refers to lead, but modern pencils actually use graphite.
Examples in context
- 我把铅笔和橡皮放在文具盒里了。I put the pencils and erasers in the pencil case.
- 请将你的笔放进笔盒里。Please put your pen in the pencil case.
- 我的铅笔盒有很多颜色的铅笔。My pencil case has many colored pencils.
- 我在筆袋裡找不到鉛筆了。I can't find my pencils in the pencil case.
- 我的文具盒在桌子上。Wǒ de wénjùhé zài zhuōzi shàng.My pencil case is on the table.
- 这个文具盒很漂亮。Zhège wénjùhé hěn piàoliang.This pencil case is very beautiful.
- 你要买新的文具盒吗？Nǐ yào mǎi xīn de wénjùhé ma?Do you want to buy a new pencil case?
Example conversation
Two students are preparing for class in a classroom.
- 志强 Zhiqiang雨婷，你有文具盒吗？Yǔtíng, nǐ yǒu wénjùhé ma?Yuting, do you have a pencil case?
- 雨婷 Yuting我有，怎么了？Wǒ yǒu, zěnme le?I do, what's up?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我想借你的文具盒用一下。Wǒ xiǎng jiè nǐ de wénjùhé yòng yīxià.I want to borrow your pencil case for a moment.
- 雨婷 Yuting没问题，给你。Méi wèntí, gěi nǐ.No problem, here it is.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pencil case” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
