Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
鄙bǐ(bi3)
The character 鄙 (bǐ) conveys the idea of something being rustic, low, or base, often associated with a sense of scorn or disdain. It is commonly used in contexts where one expresses contempt for something considered inferior or vulgar, both in terms of quality and morality.
Strokes13Radical阝Frequency#33189DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 鄙 often reflects social hierarchies and the importance of maintaining one's reputation. Being labeled as 鄙 can have significant social consequences, emphasizing the value placed on refinement and propriety.
Memory Tip
Imagine a rustic village where people are scorned for their lowly lifestyle. The character 鄙 combines the '阝' radical which can represent a place (like a village) with '否' - think of it as saying 'no' to the base things in life. Visualize someone shaking their head in disgust at a rustic scene.
Meanings of 鄙
bǐ(bi3)
1rustic
2low
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 鄙
鄙Simplified
13Strokes
阝Radical
形容词性语素xíngróngcíadjective root (adj.root)Part of Speech
#33189Frequency Rank
Podcast: 鄙
Podcast: 鄙
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 鄙
Quick Contrast
鄙 (bǐ) vs 低 (dī) — use 鄙 when expressing scorn for something considered morally or socially inferior, while 低 refers to a lower physical position or level without the connotation of disdain.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a rustic village where people are scorned for their lowly lifestyle. The character 鄙 combines the '阝' radical which can represent a place (like a village) with '否' - think of it as saying 'no' to the base things in life. Visualize someone shaking their head in disgust at a rustic scene.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 鄙 with similar characters that convey different meanings, such as '比' (bǐ, to compare). It's more often used in a formal or literary context when discussing values or judgments. Common collocations include 鄙视 (bǐshì, to despise) and 鄙见 (bǐjiàn, base opinion).
HSK Study Tips
Although 鄙 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with words at HSK Level 4 and above that express judgment or opinion. Focus on understanding its usage in phrases and developing a nuanced understanding of when to express disdain.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 鄙 often reflects social hierarchies and the importance of maintaining one's reputation. Being labeled as 鄙 can have significant social consequences, emphasizing the value placed on refinement and propriety.
Common Mistakes
Learners might confuse 鄙 with similar-sounding words like '比' (bǐ, to compare) or '闭' (bì, to close). A common mistake is using 鄙 to mean 'compare' instead of 'despise'; remember they have very different meanings.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 鄙
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 鄙 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 鄙 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 鄙
鄙 carries 7 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 5
Complete the Sentence
凯瑟琳气得快要炸了。“我觉得你真是可____！”
Catherine was ready to explode. "I think you're contemptible!"
Example Sentences for 鄙 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
凯瑟琳气得快要炸了。“我觉得你真是可鄙！”
kǎi sè lín qì dé kuài yào zhà le。“ 。“ wǒ jué dé nǐ zhēn shì kě！”
Catherine was ready to explode. "I think you're contemptible!"
2
鄙人被一声大喊惊醒：“喂！”
bǐ rén bèi yī shēng dà hǎn jīng xǐng：“ ：“！”
Yours truly was awoken by a shout: "Ahoy there!"
3
我永远不会原谅他。我鄙视他。
wǒ yǒng yuǎn bù huì yuán liàng tā。 。 wǒ bǐ shì。
I can never, ever forgive him. I despise him.
4
“交易！”她鄙夷地说，“我厌恶一切交易。”
“ “ jiāo！” yì ！” tā bǐ yí，“ dì shuō ，“ wǒ yàn è yī。”
"A deal!" she said contemptuously, "I hate all deals."
5
袭击者还站在那里，用一种鄙夷的眼神一言不发地看着她。
xí jī zhě huán zhàn zài nà lǐ， ， yòng yī zhǒng bǐ yí de yǎn shén yī yán bù fā dì kàn zháo。
The attacker still stood there, watching her with silent contempt.
The crime was so base that everyone wanted to hush it up.
7
那么鄙人可否建议下次我们大家都要做点事。
nà mó bǐ rén kě fǒu jiàn yì xià cì wǒ mén dà jiā dū yào zuò diǎn shì。
So may I humbly suggest we all do something next time.
8
会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击 呢 ?
huì shì shuí fā qǐ zhè mó bēi bǐ de gōng jī?
Who could have carried out such a vile attack?
9
闪光装饰片经常引起时尚引领者的鄙视。
shǎn guāng zhuāng shì piàn jīng cháng yǐn qǐ shí shàng yǐn lǐng zhě de bǐ shì。
Sequins have often aroused the scorn of arbiters of taste.
10
刘玉英看着冯云卿的背影, 鄙夷地扁扁嘴.
liú yù yīng kàn zháo féng yún qīng de bèi yǐng, , bǐ yí dì biǎn biǎn.
Liu Yu - ying watched his retreating figure, her lips compressed into a contemptuous line.
Cultural Notes for 鄙
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of 鄙 often reflects social hierarchies and the importance of maintaining one's reputation. Being labeled as 鄙 can have significant social consequences, emphasizing the value placed on refinement and propriety.
Word Family of 鄙
Words Containing This Character16
卑鄙bēibǐbase
鄙视bǐshìto despise鄙視
鄙bǐlow
鄙人I
鄙夷to despise
粗鄙vulgar
可鄙base
鄙弃to disdain鄙棄
鄙薄to despise
鄙陋superficial
鄙俗vulgar
卑鄙龌龊sordid and contemptible (idiom); vile and repulsive (esp. character or action)卑鄙齷齪
贪鄙to be avaricious and mean貪鄙
鄙见humble idea鄙見
鄙吝vulgar
鄙贱lowly鄙賤
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 卑鄙 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 鄙
Common phrases include 鄙视 (bǐshì, to despise) and 鄙见 (bǐjiàn, a base opinion).
鄙 is more often found in written or formal contexts rather than in casual conversation.
鄙 is pronounced as 'bǐ', with a falling tone on the 'i'.
