Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
辫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
biàna braid or queuen, 17 strokes, radical 辛, rank #15808, Hard
biànto plaitn, 17 strokes, radical 辛, rank #15808, Hard
biànbraid, pigtail, plait; queuen, 17 strokes, radical 辛, rank #15808, Hard
biàn(bian4) T4
  1. 1a braid or queue
  2. 2to plait
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(辮)biàn(bian4)

The character 辫 (biàn) refers to a braid or plait, commonly used to describe hairstyles such as pigtails. It can also denote the action of braiding hair, which is a common practice in various cultures, particularly among women and children. This term can also refer to the historical concept of a queue, a hairstyle worn by men in the Qing dynasty.

Strokes17RadicalFrequency#15808DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, hairstyles like 辫 (biàn) or pigtails have been significant, especially in historical contexts like the Qing dynasty when men wore queues. Such styles often symbolize tradition and identity within Chinese cultural heritage.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 辫 (biàn) as a person braiding hair. The radical 辶 (movement) suggests the action of weaving strands together, while the phonetic element 'biàn' sounds like 'bend,' which is what you do when you braid. Imagine a girl bending over, carefully weaving her hair into a beautiful braid.

Meanings of 辫

biàn(bian4)
1a braid or queue
2to plait
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 辫

Simplified
Traditional
17Strokes
Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#15808Frequency Rank

Podcast: 辫

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 辫

Quick Contrast

辫 (biàn) vs 髻 (jì) — use 辫 for braids or plaits, while 髻 refers specifically to a bun hairstyle.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of the character 辫 (biàn) as a person braiding hair. The radical 辶 (movement) suggests the action of weaving strands together, while the phonetic element 'biàn' sounds like 'bend,' which is what you do when you braid. Imagine a girl bending over, carefully weaving her hair into a beautiful braid.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 辫 (biàn) with other similar words; for example, the word for 'hair' is 发 (fà), which is often used in collocations. The term is informal and typically used in everyday conversation rather than formal writing. Pay attention to the tones and pronunciation, as mispronouncing can lead to confusion.

HSK Study Tips

Although 辫 (biàn) is not currently in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with other HSK vocabulary related to hair and beauty, such as 发 (fà - hair) and 美 (měi - beautiful). Focus on practicing both the pronunciation and writing of this character to reinforce your understanding.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, hairstyles like 辫 (biàn) or pigtails have been significant, especially in historical contexts like the Qing dynasty when men wore queues. Such styles often symbolize tradition and identity within Chinese cultural heritage.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 辫 (biàn) with the character 奔 (bēn), which means to run. For example, saying '我有很多辫' (Wǒ yǒu hěn duō bēn) instead of '我有很多辫' (Wǒ yǒu hěn duō biàn) can lead to misunderstanding. Always double-check the tone and character used.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 辫

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 辫

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

thread

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 辫?

Decomposition of 辫

IDS Structure⿲辛纟辛
Full Character
=
Xin1
left
si1
middle
Xin1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 辫?

Write 辫

Practice writing 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 辫

辫 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). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 3

Complete the Sentence

雪莉抓住他的马尾____,猛地一拽。

Grabbing his ponytail, Shirley gave it a yank.

Example Sentences for 辫 (2)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
雪莉抓住他的马尾辫,猛地一拽。

xuě lì zhuā zhù tā de mǎ wěi biàn, , měng dì yī。

Grabbing his ponytail, Shirley gave it a yank.
2
她用一根松紧带扎紧辫梢.

tā yòng yī gēn sōng jǐn dài zā jǐn biàn shāo.

She tied the end of her pigtails with an elastic band.

Cultural Notes for 辫

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, hairstyles like 辫 (biàn) or pigtails have been significant, especially in historical contexts like the Qing dynasty when men wore queues. Such styles often symbolize tradition and identity within Chinese cultural heritage.

Word Family of 辫

Words Containing This Character8
辫子biànziplait辮子
biànto plait
小辫子pigtail小辮子
发辫braid髮辮
小辫pigtail小辮
翘辫子(coll.) to die翹辮子
抓辫子to grab sb by the pigtail抓辮子
揪辫子to seize on weak points揪辮子
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 辫子 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 辫

The correct pronunciation is 'biàn' with a falling tone.