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貧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
貧pínpoor, needy, impoverished; lackingzg, 11 strokes, radical 貝
pín(pin2)pin T2
  1. 1poor, needy, impoverished; lacking
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March 24, 2026

貧pín(pin2)

The character 貧 (pín) means 'poor' or 'needy', often used to describe a lack of wealth or resources. It can refer to both material poverty and a deficiency in other aspects, such as knowledge or experience. It is commonly used in contexts discussing socioeconomic status or in literary expressions of hardship.

Strokes11Radical貝
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of poverty is often linked to the traditional values of hard work and the importance of family support. The phrase '穷则变,变则通' (If you are poor, adapt; if you adapt, you will find a way) reflects a common mindset towards overcoming hardship.

Memory tip

Imagine a person with a thin wallet, symbolizing their poverty. The character 貧 has the radical for 'money' (貝) at the bottom, reminding you that it relates to wealth. The top part resembles a person struggling under the weight of their financial burdens, helping you connect the sound 'pín' with the concept of being poor.

Meanings of 貧

pín(pin2)
1poor, needy, impoverished; lacking
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 貧

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

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Podcast: 貧

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AI study notes for 貧

Quick Contrast

貧 (pín, poor) vs 穷 (qióng, impoverished) — use 貧 when referring to a general state of poverty, while 穷 often emphasizes a more extreme or desperate condition.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 貧 (pín) with 贫 (pín), which is a simplified form used in Mainland China. This character is more formal and can be seen in literature and discussions about social issues. Common collocations include 貧困 (pínkùn, poverty) and 貧富差距 (pínfù chājù, wealth gap).

HSK Study Tips

Although 貧 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with other words about socioeconomic topics at similar levels, such as 富 (fù, rich). Focus on learning its usage in context to better understand discussions about wealth and poverty in Chinese society.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly write 贫 instead of 貧 in traditional contexts, as 贫 is the simplified version. For example, writing '贫困' instead of '貧困' when discussing traditional Chinese literature would be incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 貧

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Etymology of 貧

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

Money 貝 that must be split 分; 分 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 貧?

Decomposition of 貧

IDS Structure⿱分貝
貧Full character
=
分fen1
top
貝bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 貧?

How to say poor, needy, impoverished; lacking in Chinese

“poor, needy, impoverished; lacking” in Chinese is貧pín

The character 貧 (pín) means 'poor' or 'needy', often used to describe a lack of wealth or resources. It can refer to both material poverty and a deficiency in other aspects, such as knowledge or experience. It is commonly used in contexts discussing socioeconomic status or in literary expressions of hardship.

When to use 貧

Be careful not to confuse 貧 (pín) with 贫 (pín), which is a simplified form used in Mainland China. This character is more formal and can be seen in literature and discussions about social issues. Common collocations include 貧困 (pínkùn, poverty) and 貧富差距 (pínfù chājù, wealth gap).

貧 or something close to it

貧 (pín, poor) vs 穷 (qióng, impoverished) — use 貧 when referring to a general state of poverty, while 穷 often emphasizes a more extreme or desperate condition.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly write 贫 instead of 貧 in traditional contexts, as 贫 is the simplified version. For example, writing '贫困' instead of '貧困' when discussing traditional Chinese literature would be incorrect.

Write 貧

貧

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

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Word Family of 貧

Words containing this character20
贫困pínkùnpoverty貧困
贫穷pínqióngpoor貧窮
贫血anemia貧血
贫pínpoor貧
贫民窟slum housing貧民窟
贫民区slum area貧民區
扶贫assistance to the poor扶貧
贫下中农(category defined by the Communist Party) poor and lower-middle peasants: farmers who, before land reform, possessed little or no land (poor peasants) and those who were barely able to support themselves with their own land (lower-middle peasants)貧下中農
贫民poor people貧民
贫富pínfùpoor and rich貧富
一贫如洗penniless一貧如洗
贫农poor peasant貧農
贫乏pínfálacking貧乏
贫苦poor貧苦
贫瘠barren貧瘠
脱贫致富poverty alleviation脫貧致富
贫道poor Taoist貧道
脱贫to lift oneself out of poverty脫貧
贫寒poor貧寒
贫嘴talkative貧嘴
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 貧

What does 贫困 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 貧

You can say '他很貧' (Tā hěn pín), meaning 'He is very poor.'

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