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癖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
癖
pǐ
craving, addiction; habit, hobby; indigestion
ng, 18 strokes, radical 疒, rank #5244, Hard
pǐ(pi3)pi T3
1craving, addiction; habit, hobby; indigestion
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March 24, 2026
癖pǐ(pi3)
The character 癖 (pǐ) primarily refers to a strong craving or addiction, often relating to habits or hobbies. It can also describe an unusual or peculiar behavior that someone might have, emphasizing a personal quirk. In a medical context, it can refer to issues like indigestion, highlighting its diverse applications in daily life.
Strokes18Radical疒Frequency#5244DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 癖 can often reflect societal values around personal interests and behaviors, where certain hobbies can be seen as prestigious or eccentric. The acceptance of unique habits can vary widely, showing how personal quirks are viewed differently.
Memory tip
Imagine a 'picky' eater who has a particular 'craving' (pǐ) for one type of food, leading to a peculiar habit. The character 癖 has the radical 疒 (disease) on the left, suggesting a connection to health or habits, which can help you remember its meaning related to cravings and habits.
Meanings of 癖
pǐ(pi3)
1craving, addiction; habit, hobby; indigestion
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 癖
癖Simplified
18Strokes
疒Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 癖
Podcast: 癖
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AI Study Notes for 癖
Quick Contrast
癖 (pǐ) vs 习 (xí) — use 癖 for strong cravings or peculiar habits, while 习 refers to practice or habitual actions.
Usage Notes
Be cautious when using 癖 in informal speech, as it can carry a negative connotation of addiction or obsession. Common collocations include 癖好 (hobby) and 癖性 (peculiar habit). Learners often confuse it with similar-sounding words; be mindful of tone, as pǐ is pronounced with a falling-rising tone.
HSK Study Tips
Although 癖 is not included in HSK vocabulary lists, its meaning can connect to other words related to habits and preferences at this level. Focus on understanding its usage in context and recognizing similar characters, such as 爱好 (ài hào, hobby) to deepen your vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 癖 to describe general habits without context, leading to confusion. For example, saying '我有癖' (I have a habit) is incorrect; a better expression would be '我有一个习惯' (I have a habit).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 癖
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Knowing 癖 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
癖 = 疒 + 辟. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 癖
IDS Structure⿸疒辟
癖Full character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
辟bi4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 癖?
How to say craving, addiction; habit, hobby; indigestion in Chinese
“craving, addiction; habit, hobby; indigestion” in Chinese is癖pǐ
The character 癖 (pǐ) primarily refers to a strong craving or addiction, often relating to habits or hobbies. It can also describe an unusual or peculiar behavior that someone might have, emphasizing a personal quirk. In a medical context, it can refer to issues like indigestion, highlighting its diverse applications in daily life.
When to use 癖
Be cautious when using 癖 in informal speech, as it can carry a negative connotation of addiction or obsession. Common collocations include 癖好 (hobby) and 癖性 (peculiar habit). Learners often confuse it with similar-sounding words; be mindful of tone, as pǐ is pronounced with a falling-rising tone.
癖 or something close to it
癖 (pǐ) vs 习 (xí) — use 癖 for strong cravings or peculiar habits, while 习 refers to practice or habitual actions.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 癖 to describe general habits without context, leading to confusion. For example, saying '我有癖' (I have a habit) is incorrect; a better expression would be '我有一个习惯' (I have a habit).
Write 癖
癖
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Practice writing 癖 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 癖
癖 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
无论在哪个领域，过分痴迷者都会跟他们的____好一样令人厌烦。
Obsessives, in any area, are invariably as boring as their hobbies.
She's obsessively tidy, always hoovering and polishing.
6
天生成孤癖人皆罕.
tiān shēng chéng gū pǐ rén jiē hǎn.
Yet so eccentric that all marvel at her.
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Word Family of 癖
Words containing this character15
癖pǐhabit
洁癖mysophobia潔癖
怪癖eccentricity
癖好an urge
恋童癖pedophilia戀童癖
恋物癖(sexual) fetishism戀物癖
断袖之癖lit. cut sleeve (idiom); fig. euphemism for homosexuality, originating from History of Western Han 漢書|汉书: emperor Han Aidi (real name Liu Xin) was in bed with his lover Dong Xian, and had to attend a court audience that morning. Not wishing to awaken Dong斷袖之癖
异装癖transvestism異裝癖
异食癖pica (medicine)異食癖
露阴癖flashing露陰癖
恋尸癖necrophilia戀屍癖
恶癖bad habit惡癖
施虐癖sadism (fetish)
痼癖addiction
嗜痂成癖to have strange and dangerous addictions (idiom)
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 癖
What does 洁癖 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 癖
Yes, 癖 can describe hobbies or interests that someone is passionate about, although it may imply an obsession.
Not necessarily; while it often implies a negative connotation, it can also refer to unique or passionate hobbies.
It is pronounced as pǐ, with a falling-rising tone.
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