‘匙子’ (chí zi) is a noun meaning ‘spoon’, referring to a small utensil used for eating, stirring, or serving food and liquids. While the more common and neutral term is ‘勺子’ (sháo zi), ‘匙子’ carries a slightly literary or formal register and is occasionally heard in written Chinese, older texts, or regional speech—especially in northern dialects. The character ‘匙’ (chí) originally means ‘key’ or ‘tool for handling something’, and here it specifically denotes a spoon-like implement; ‘子’ (zi) is a common nominal suffix that adds a diminutive or general noun-forming function.

This word is rarely used in everyday spoken Mandarin among younger urban speakers, who prefer ‘勺子’. However, it remains understandable and appears in fixed expressions (e.g., ‘汤匙’ tāng chí, ‘soup spoon’) or when distinguishing types of spoons (e.g., ‘咖啡匙子’ kāfēi chí zi, ‘coffee spoon’). It does not refer to keys, despite ‘匙’’s alternate meaning—context always clarifies the intended sense.