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March 24, 2026
幣bì(bi4)
The character 幣 (bì) refers to currency or legal tender used in transactions, including coins and paper money. It is commonly used in financial contexts, such as discussing money, payments, and economic exchanges.
Strokes14Radical巾Frequency#75756DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of currency is deeply tied to historical trade practices, where silver and gold were used as legal tender before the establishment of modern paper money. The significance of currency is often reflected in festivals and rituals, such as giving 'lucky money' in red envelopes during Lunar New Year.
Memory Tip
Imagine a stack of coins (幣) forming a wall (the radical 幺 resembles a small wall) to protect your wealth. The pronunciation 'bì' sounds like 'bee,' which you can picture buzzing around your coins, reminding you of currency.
Meanings of 幣
bì(bi4)
1currency, coins, legal tender
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 幣
幣Simplified
14Strokes
巾Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 幣
Podcast: 幣
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AI Study Notes for 幣
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a stack of coins (幣) forming a wall (the radical 幺 resembles a small wall) to protect your wealth. The pronunciation 'bì' sounds like 'bee,' which you can picture buzzing around your coins, reminding you of currency.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 幣 (bì) with similar characters related to money, such as 錢 (qián), which specifically means 'money' rather than 'currency.' Note that 幣 is more formal and often appears in written contexts, such as financial documents.
HSK Study Tips
While 幣 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to related terms like 錢 (money) and 交易 (transaction). Students should focus on understanding its usage in formal financial contexts to support comprehension of broader economic discussions.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of currency is deeply tied to historical trade practices, where silver and gold were used as legal tender before the establishment of modern paper money. The significance of currency is often reflected in festivals and rituals, such as giving 'lucky money' in red envelopes during Lunar New Year.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is using 幣 in casual conversation about money, where 錢 (qián) would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我有很多幣' (I have a lot of currency) instead of '我有很多錢' (I have a lot of money) can sound overly formal.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 幣
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Cultural Notes for 幣
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of currency is deeply tied to historical trade practices, where silver and gold were used as legal tender before the establishment of modern paper money. The significance of currency is often reflected in festivals and rituals, such as giving 'lucky money' in red envelopes during Lunar New Year.
Word Family of 幣
Words Containing This Character19
硬币yìngbìcoin硬幣
人民币rénmínbìRenminbi (RMB)人民幣
货币huòbìcurrency貨幣
币bìmoney幣
金币gold coin金幣
银币silver coinage銀幣
港币Hong Kong currency港幣
纸币bank notes紙幣
钱币money錢幣
外币wàibìforeign currency外幣
货币市场money market貨幣市場
新台币New Taiwan dollar (NTD)新台幣
币值value of a currency幣值
铸币coin鑄幣
国际货币基金组织International Monetary Fund (IMF)國際貨幣基金組織
投币coin-operated投幣
台币New Taiwan dollar台幣
欧洲货币Euro歐洲貨幣
冥币false paper money burned as an offering to the dead冥幣
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 硬币 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 幣
幣 (bì) specifically refers to currency or legal tender, while 錢 (qián) is a broader term for money in general.
Yes, 幣 encompasses both coins and paper money as forms of currency.
No, 幣 is more often used in written contexts, particularly in financial discussions.
