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睥 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
睥bìto glare at; to look askancel, 13 strokes, radical 目
睥bìlook askanceunknown, 13 strokes, radical 目
睥pìto glare at; to look askancel, 13 strokes, radical 目
睥pìlook askanceunknown, 13 strokes, radical 目
pì(pi4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1to glare at; to look askance
  2. 2look askance
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

睥pì(pi4)

The character 睥 (pì) means to glare or look askance at someone or something. It often conveys a sense of suspicion or disapproval, typically when one is observing something with a critical or untrusting eye. This word is less common in everyday conversation but can be found in literary contexts or formal writing.

Strokes13Radical目
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese literature, the act of glancing or glaring often symbolizes deeper emotions such as jealousy, suspicion, or disapproval, reflecting societal values on relationships and trust.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person glaring at someone with narrowed eyes, as if peering through slits or 'slits' in their eyelids. The character 睥 has the radical 'eye' (目), reminding you of looking closely while the '非' part sounds like 'frown' or 'disapprove,' which connects to the meaning of glaring.

Meanings of 睥

pì(pi4)
primary
1to glare at; to look askance
2look askance
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 睥

睥Simplified
13Strokes
目Radical
习用语phrase (phr.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 睥

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Podcast: 睥

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AI Study Notes for 睥

Usage Notes

Learners should note that 睥 is quite formal and might not be used in casual conversations. It often appears in written language or poetry, so it’s important to understand the context in which it’s appropriate. Be cautious with the tones, as mispronunciation can lead to confusion with other characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although 睥 is not included in the HSK levels, it is beneficial for advanced learners to know. It connects with other eye-related characters (like 看 kàn, to see) and can enhance vocabulary related to observation and perception. Focus on its usage in literary contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 睥 with 睁 (zhēng, to open one’s eyes) due to similar pronunciation and appearance. Remember that 睥 has a negative connotation while 睁 does not.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 睥

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Etymology of 睥

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

eye

Semantic (meaning)目
+
Phonetic (sound)卑
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 睥

  1. 1The meaning half目 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half卑 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayeye
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 睥? 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 睥?

Decomposition of 睥

IDS Structure⿰目卑
睥Full Character
=
目mu4
left
卑bei1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 睥?

How to say to glare at; to look askance in Chinese

“to glare at; to look askance” in Chinese is睥bì

The character 睥 (pì) means to glare or look askance at someone or something. It often conveys a sense of suspicion or disapproval, typically when one is observing something with a critical or untrusting eye. This word is less common in everyday conversation but can be found in literary contexts or formal writing.

When to use 睥

Learners should note that 睥 is quite formal and might not be used in casual conversations. It often appears in written language or poetry, so it’s important to understand the context in which it’s appropriate. Be cautious with the tones, as mispronunciation can lead to confusion with other characters.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 睥 with 睁 (zhēng, to open one’s eyes) due to similar pronunciation and appearance. Remember that 睥 has a negative connotation while 睁 does not.

Write 睥

睥

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 睥

Words Containing This Character1
睥pìlook askance
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 睥 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 睥

The correct pronunciation is pì, with a falling tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 睥?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.