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觱 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
觱bìTartar horn; chill windx, 16 strokes, radical 角
觱bìfeverunknown, 16 strokes, radical 角
bì(bi4) T4
  1. 1Tartar horn; chill wind
  2. 2fever
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March 24, 2026

觱bì(bi4)

The character 觱 (bì) refers to a 'tartar horn', a type of wind instrument used historically. In a broader context, it can also describe a 'chill wind' or relate to a 'fever', reflecting a sense of discomfort or harshness. This word is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may appear primarily in literary or historical texts.

Strokes16Radical角
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese music, instruments like the tartar horn represent ancient cultural practices and rituals. This character connects to historical music contexts, which may evoke imagery of ancient ceremonies or gatherings.

Memory Tip

Imagine a chilly wind blowing through a tartar horn, creating a haunting sound that sends shivers down your spine. The character 觱 has the radical 角 (horn) which visually connects to its meaning, while the pronunciation 'bì' may remind you of the sound of a horn being blown.

Meanings of 觱

bì(bi4)
1Tartar horn; chill wind
2fever
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 觱

觱Simplified
16Strokes
角Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 觱

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Podcast: 觱

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AI Study Notes for 觱

Usage Notes

This character is rarely used in modern Mandarin and may sound archaic to native speakers. Be cautious with its usage, as it may not be recognized in informal contexts. It is important to understand that while it can denote a chill or discomfort, using it in common conversation may confuse listeners.

HSK Study Tips

As 觱 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, learners may encounter it in advanced reading materials. Focus on recognizing the character and its components, as it can serve as an example of how certain characters can have multiple meanings based on context.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 觱 with similar-sounding words, leading to incorrect meanings. For example, mixing it up with 逼 (bī), which means 'to force', can lead to misunderstandings in conversation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 觱

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Etymology of 觱

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

horn

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 觱

  1. 1The meaning half角 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half咸 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhorn
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 觱? 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 觱?

Decomposition of 觱

IDS Structure⿱咸角
觱Full Character
=
咸Xian2
top
角jiao3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 觱?

How to say Tartar horn; chill wind in Chinese

“Tartar horn; chill wind” in Chinese is觱bì

The character 觱 (bì) refers to a 'tartar horn', a type of wind instrument used historically. In a broader context, it can also describe a 'chill wind' or relate to a 'fever', reflecting a sense of discomfort or harshness. This word is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may appear primarily in literary or historical texts.

When to use 觱

This character is rarely used in modern Mandarin and may sound archaic to native speakers. Be cautious with its usage, as it may not be recognized in informal contexts. It is important to understand that while it can denote a chill or discomfort, using it in common conversation may confuse listeners.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 觱 with similar-sounding words, leading to incorrect meanings. For example, mixing it up with 逼 (bī), which means 'to force', can lead to misunderstandings in conversation.

Write 觱

觱

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

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Word Family of 觱

Words Containing This Character1
觱bìfever
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 觱 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 觱

No, 觱 is relatively rare and primarily found in historical or literary contexts.

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