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彬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
彬bīnornamental; cultivated, refined, well-bredzg, 11 strokes, radical 彡, rank #19570, Very Hard
bīn(bin1)bin T1
  1. 1ornamental; cultivated, refined, well-bred
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March 24, 2026

彬bīn(bin1)

The character 彬 (bīn) refers to someone who is cultivated, refined, or well-bred, often associated with elegance and grace. It is commonly used to describe individuals who possess a strong sense of culture and sophistication, both in behavior and appearance. You might encounter this term in contexts related to literature, art, or social etiquette.

Strokes11Radical彡Frequency#19570DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of being refined and well-bred is highly valued, often associated with education and nobility. 彬 is used in names and phrases that denote respect and admiration for someone's cultured nature.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'bín' (彬) who is dressed elegantly, surrounded by beautiful ornaments. The character 彬 visually resembles a person standing tall and refined, with the component on the left (彡) suggesting decoration. Picture this refined individual attending a cultured event, embodying the essence of sophistication.

Meanings of 彬

bīn(bin1)
1ornamental; cultivated, refined, well-bred
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 彬 means.

About 彬

彬Simplified
11Strokes
彡Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 彬

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Podcast: 彬

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AI Study Notes for 彬

Quick Contrast

文 (wén) vs 俊 (jùn) — choose 彬 (bīn) for a focus on cultivated refinement, while 文 (wén) emphasizes literary or cultural knowledge, and 俊 (jùn) highlights handsome or talented appearance.

Usage Notes

彬 is typically used in a more formal context, often when describing people or behaviors in literary or polite conversations. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words, so pay attention to the tone. For example, using 'bin' instead of 'bīn' can change the meaning completely.

HSK Study Tips

While 彬 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with HSK Level 4 words that describe personality traits and qualities, such as 善良 (shànliáng - kind) or 文雅 (wényǎ - elegant). Focus on using 彬 to enhance your descriptions of people in conversations about culture or art.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 彬 with closely related characters, such as 斌 (bīn), which refers to a cultured man but lacks the ornamental nuance. Ensure you use 彬 to emphasize refinement and elegance in your descriptions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 彬

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Etymology of 彬

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 彡 represents the meaning and 林 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hair

Semantic (meaning)彡
+
Phonetic (sound)林
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

彬 = 彡 + 林. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 彬

IDS Structure⿰林彡
彬Full Character
=
林Lin2
left
彡shan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 彬?

How to say ornamental; cultivated, refined, well-bred in Chinese

“ornamental; cultivated, refined, well-bred” in Chinese is彬bīn

The character 彬 (bīn) refers to someone who is cultivated, refined, or well-bred, often associated with elegance and grace. It is commonly used to describe individuals who possess a strong sense of culture and sophistication, both in behavior and appearance. You might encounter this term in contexts related to literature, art, or social etiquette.

When to use 彬

彬 is typically used in a more formal context, often when describing people or behaviors in literary or polite conversations. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words, so pay attention to the tone. For example, using 'bin' instead of 'bīn' can change the meaning completely.

彬 or something close to it

文 (wén) vs 俊 (jùn) — choose 彬 (bīn) for a focus on cultivated refinement, while 文 (wén) emphasizes literary or cultural knowledge, and 俊 (jùn) highlights handsome or talented appearance.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 彬 with closely related characters, such as 斌 (bīn), which refers to a cultured man but lacks the ornamental nuance. Ensure you use 彬 to emphasize refinement and elegance in your descriptions.

Write 彬

彬

Practice writing 彬 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 彬

彬 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 5

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他是个好小伙,非常温和,____彬有礼。

He was a nice fellow, very quiet and courteous.

Example Sentences for 彬 (5)

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1
他是个好小伙,非常温和,彬彬有礼。

tā shì gè hǎo xiǎo huǒ, , fēi cháng wēn, hé , bīn bīn。

He was a nice fellow, very quiet and courteous.
2
绅士应该总是彬彬有礼,即便是对地位不及自己者.

shēn shì yīng gāi zǒng shì bīn bīn yǒu lǐ, , jí biàn shì duì dì wèi bù jí zì jǐ.

A gentleman should always be civil, even to his inferiors.
3
她拥有那种天生的优雅,举手投足都彬彬有礼。

tā yōng yǒu nà zhǒng tiān shēng de yōu yǎ, , jǔ shǒu tóu zú dū bīn bīn yǒu。

She had that inbred politeness, it was a part of her.
4
他们总是很懂礼貌,彬彬有礼。

tā mén zǒng shì hěn dǒng lǐ mào, , bīn bīn yǒu。

They are always perfectly polite and beautifully mannered.
5
噢, 彬格莱先生的马车要送他的朋友到麦里屯去, 赫斯脱夫妇又是有车无马.

ō, , bīn gé lái xiān shēng de mǎ chē yào sòng tā de péng yǒu dào mài lǐ tún, qù , hè sī tuō fū fù yòu shì yǒu chē.

Oh! but the gentlemen will have Mr. Bingley's chaise to go to Meryton; and the Hursts have no horses to theirs.

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Word Family of 彬

Words Containing This Character5
彬bīnrefined
彬彬有礼bīnbīnyǒulǐurbane彬彬有禮
文质彬彬gentle文質彬彬
中山成彬NAKAYAMA Nariaki (1943-), right-wing Japanese cabinet minister and prominent denier of Japanese war crimes
彬县Bin County in Xianyang 咸陽|咸阳[Xián​yáng], Shaanxi彬縣
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 彬

What does 彬彬有礼 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 彬

You can say '他是一个很有彬彬有礼的人' (tā shì yīgè hěn yǒu bīn bīn yǒu lǐ de rén) meaning 'He is a very refined and polite person.'

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