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March 24, 2026
妃fēi(fei1)
The character 妃 (fēi) primarily refers to a wife or spouse, but it also specifically denotes an imperial concubine in the context of Chinese history and culture. This term is often used in discussions of royal families, where concubines held a significant role in the hierarchy of wives.
Strokes6Radical女Frequency#9811DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In ancient Chinese dynasties, emperors had several 妃 (fēi), each with distinct ranks and responsibilities, showing the importance of familial and social structure in historical China.
Memory Tip
Imagine a royal palace where the emperor has many wives, including the 妃 (fēi) who are dressed in elegant robes. The character 妃 can be visualized as a lady with a crown (the radical 女 for 'woman') beside a symbol of power, reflecting her status. Think of 'fēi' rhyming with 'fey,' as in fairy-tale royalty.
Meanings of 妃
fēi(fei1)
1wife, spouse; imperial concubine
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 妃
妃Simplified
6Strokes
女Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 妃
Podcast: 妃
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AI Study Notes for 妃
Quick Contrast
妾 (qiè) refers specifically to a concubine of lower status compared to 妃 (fēi), which denotes a higher-ranking imperial concubine.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a royal palace where the emperor has many wives, including the 妃 (fēi) who are dressed in elegant robes. The character 妃 can be visualized as a lady with a crown (the radical 女 for 'woman') beside a symbol of power, reflecting her status. Think of 'fēi' rhyming with 'fey,' as in fairy-tale royalty.
Usage Notes
妃 is more formal and often used in historical or literary contexts rather than everyday conversation. Common collocations include 妃子 (fēizǐ) for 'concubine' and 皇妃 (huángfēi) for 'imperial concubine.' Be cautious with tones; using the wrong tone can lead to confusion.
HSK Study Tips
Although 妃 is not included in the official HSK levels, it connects to other HSK vocabulary related to family and relationships. Learners should focus on understanding the historical context of terms related to royalty and hierarchy.
Cultural Note
In ancient Chinese dynasties, emperors had several 妃 (fēi), each with distinct ranks and responsibilities, showing the importance of familial and social structure in historical China.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 妃 (fēi) with 妻 (qī), mistakenly using 妃 to indicate a wife in general contexts. Instead, remember 妃 is specific to concubines or royal wives.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 妃
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Grammar Patterns of 妃
妃 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
In ancient Chinese dynasties, emperors had several 妃 (fēi), each with distinct ranks and responsibilities, showing the importance of familial and social structure in historical China.
Word Family of 妃
Words Containing This Character8
妃fēiimperial concubine
王妃princess (in Europe)
贵妃senior concubine貴妃
妃子imperial concubine
杨贵妃Yang Yuhuan 楊玉環|杨玉环[YángYùhuán] or Yang Guifei (719-756), famous Tang beauty, consort of Emperor Xuanzhong 唐玄宗[TángXuánzōng], blamed for extravagance and killed as a scapegoat during the An-Shi Rebellion 安史之亂|安史之乱[AnShǐzhīLuàn]楊貴妃
嫔妃imperial concubine嬪妃
妃嫔imperial concubine妃嬪
后妃imperial wives and concubines
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 妃 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 妃
妻 (qī) refers to a wife in a general sense, while 妃 (fēi) specifically denotes an imperial concubine or a wife of higher status in a royal context.
妃 is largely used in historical or literary contexts today and is not commonly used in everyday language.
