Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
惫(憊)bèi(bei4)
The character 惫 (bèi) refers to a state of exhaustion, tiredness, or fatigue, often resulting from physical or mental strain. It is commonly used in contexts where someone feels drained or overwhelmed, whether from work, study, or emotional stress.
Strokes12Radical夂Frequency#2810DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of being exhausted is often linked to the Confucian work ethic, where hard work is highly valued, sometimes leading to physical and emotional fatigue being seen as a badge of honor.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person overwhelmed with heavy weights on their shoulders, representing the mental and physical burdens, making them feel exhausted. The character 惫 has the radical 忄 (heart) suggesting emotional fatigue, and the phonetic component 贝 sounds like 'bay', where you could visualize a weary sailor returning to shore, tired from the sea.
Meanings of 惫
bèi(bei4)
1exhausted
2tired, weary, fatigued
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 惫
惫Simplified
憊Traditional
12Strokes
夂Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 惫
Podcast: 惫
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 惫
Quick Contrast
惫 (bèi) vs 疲 (pí) — use 惫 for emotional or mental exhaustion, while 疲 is more about physical tiredness.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 惫 with other words for tiredness, such as 累 (lèi), which is more common in everyday speech. It's important to use 惫 in more formal or descriptive contexts. Common collocations include '感到惫' (gǎndào bèi - feel exhausted) and avoid using it in casual conversations.
HSK Study Tips
Although 惫 is not an HSK level word, understanding it can enhance vocabulary related to emotions and states of being, which are essential for HSK levels 3 and 4. Focus on how it contrasts with other expressions of tiredness to build a nuanced vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 惫 in informal situations where 累 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我很惫' (wǒ hěn bèi - I am very exhausted) in a casual chat, when '我很累' (wǒ hěn lèi) is more commonly accepted.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 惫
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 惫 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 思 represents the meaning and 夂 represents the sound. Simplified form of 憊.
1The meaning half思 carries the sense.
2The sound half夂 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayponder
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 惫? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 惫?
Decomposition of 惫
IDS Structure⿱夂思
惫Full Character
=
夂zhi3
top
思si1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 惫?
How to say exhausted in Chinese
“exhausted” in Chinese is惫bèi
The character 惫 (bèi) refers to a state of exhaustion, tiredness, or fatigue, often resulting from physical or mental strain. It is commonly used in contexts where someone feels drained or overwhelmed, whether from work, study, or emotional stress.
When to use 惫
Learners often confuse 惫 with other words for tiredness, such as 累 (lèi), which is more common in everyday speech. It's important to use 惫 in more formal or descriptive contexts. Common collocations include '感到惫' (gǎndào bèi - feel exhausted) and avoid using it in casual conversations.
惫 or something close to it
惫 (bèi) vs 疲 (pí) — use 惫 for emotional or mental exhaustion, while 疲 is more about physical tiredness.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 惫 in informal situations where 累 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我很惫' (wǒ hěn bèi - I am very exhausted) in a casual chat, when '我很累' (wǒ hěn lèi) is more commonly accepted.
Write 惫
惫
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 惫 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 惫
惫 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
