海 hǎi
“ocean; sea; great number of people or things”
noun, name2021 list level 2Measure word 个 · 片
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
海 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 661: 海 hǎi — Level 3; official annotation 3 (名). PDF page 96
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 海
海 is a noun meaning 'sea, ocean'. It is used alone in spoken Chinese, and in location phrases it normally takes 里 or 边: 在海里游泳、去海边玩. The surname reading Hǎi is rare and does not affect everyday use.
例句Example sentences
- 我家离海很近，走路十分钟就到。wǒ jiā lí hǎi hěn jìn, zǒu lù shí fēn zhōng jiù dào.My home is close to the sea—only a ten-minute walk.
- 夏天孩子们喜欢在海边玩沙子。xià tiān hái zi men xǐ huan zài hǎi biān wán shā zi.In summer the children like playing with sand by the sea.
- 这个湖很大，看上去像海一样。zhè ge hú hěn dà, kàn shàng qù xiàng hǎi yí yàng.This lake is big; it looks like the sea.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗很多人在海游泳。
✓很多人在海里游泳。
To say 'in the sea', 海 needs a localizer: 海里 (or 海中). 海 alone cannot serve as a location.
易混词Easily confused
海vs大海
大海 is the colloquial, more vivid spoken word for 'the sea' (大海真蓝); 海 is the neutral form used alone or in compounds such as 海边、海鲜、海水.
义项All meanings
- Hǎi: surname Hai
- hǎi: ocean; sea; great number of people or things; (dialect) numerous