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彼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
彼
bǐ
that
r, 8 strokes, radical 彳, rank #10349, Very Hard
彼
bǐ
those
r, 8 strokes, radical 彳, rank #10349, Very Hard
彼
bǐ
(one) another
r, 8 strokes, radical 彳, rank #10349, Very Hard
彼
bǐ
that, those, the other
r, 8 strokes, radical 彳, rank #10349, Very Hard
bǐ(bi3)bi T3
1that
2those
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March 24, 2026
彼bǐ(bi3)
The character 彼 (bǐ) refers to 'that' or 'those,' often used to point out something that is not close to the speaker. It can also imply 'the other' or 'another' when making comparisons or referring to alternative options in discussions.
Strokes8Radical彳Frequency#10349DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In classical Chinese literature, 彼 often appears in poetry to create a sense of distance or longing, reflecting the traditional value placed on the distinction between the speaker and the subject.
Memory tip
Imagine two people standing apart; one points to the other and says '彼' (bǐ), meaning 'that one over there.' The character resembles a person (亻) indicating 'another person' combined with a symbol for distance (比), reinforcing the meaning of 'that' or 'those.'
Meanings of 彼
bǐ(bi3)
1that
2those
Exercise 1 of 3
By ear
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About 彼
彼Simplified
8Strokes
彳Radical
代词dàicípronoun (pron.)Part of Speech
#10349Frequency Rank
Podcast: 彼
Podcast: 彼
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AI study notes for 彼
Quick Contrast
那 (nà) vs 彼 (bǐ): Use 彼 (bǐ) when emphasizing a comparison or alternative, while 那 (nà) is more commonly used for pointing out something specific.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 彼 with 这 (zhè, 'this') when indicating proximity. 彼 is more formal and is often used in literary contexts, while 这 is more conversational. It's important to use the right context to avoid sounding overly formal when speaking casually.
HSK Study Tips
While 彼 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it often appears in literary texts. Students should familiarize themselves with its usage in comparative sentences to enhance their understanding of contrasting ideas.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes mistakenly use 彼 to refer to things that are nearby, which is incorrect. For example, saying '彼本书' (that book) when the book is in hand should be corrected to '这本书' (this book).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 彼
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彼 = 彳 + 皮. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 彼
IDS Structure⿰彳皮
彼Full character
=
彳chi4
left
皮Pi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 彼?
How to say that in Chinese
“that” in Chinese is彼bǐ
The character 彼 (bǐ) refers to 'that' or 'those,' often used to point out something that is not close to the speaker. It can also imply 'the other' or 'another' when making comparisons or referring to alternative options in discussions.
When to use 彼
Common mistakes include confusing 彼 with 这 (zhè, 'this') when indicating proximity. 彼 is more formal and is often used in literary contexts, while 这 is more conversational. It's important to use the right context to avoid sounding overly formal when speaking casually.
彼 or something close to it
那 (nà) vs 彼 (bǐ): Use 彼 (bǐ) when emphasizing a comparison or alternative, while 那 (nà) is more commonly used for pointing out something specific.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes mistakenly use 彼 to refer to things that are nearby, which is incorrect. For example, saying '彼本书' (that book) when the book is in hand should be corrected to '这本书' (this book).
Write 彼
彼
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Practice writing 彼 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 彼
彼 functions as a pronoun — it stands in for a noun. Use it in the same positions as nouns (subject before verb, object after). Plurals are formed by adding 们 (我们, 他们). It carries 4 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.
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Word Family of 彼
Words containing this character16
彼此bǐcǐeach other
彼得bǐdéPeter (name)
彼bǐthat
彼岸bǐ’ànthe other shore
此起彼伏cǐqǐbǐfúrepeating continuously
圣彼得堡shèngbǐdébǎoSaint Petersburg (city in Russia)聖彼得堡
知己知彼zhījǐzhībǐknow yourself, know your enemy (idiom, from Sunzi's "The Art of War" 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[SūnzǐBīngfǎ])
顾此失彼gùcǐshībǐlit. to attend to one thing and lose sight of another (idiom)顧此失彼
非此即彼fēicǐjíbǐeither this or that
圣彼得shèngbǐdéSaint Peter聖彼得
彼此彼此bǐcǐbǐcǐboth in the same boat
厚此薄彼hòucǐbóbǐto favour one and discriminate against the other
彼得潘bǐdépānPeter Pan, the novel character
彼拉多bǐlāduōPilate (Pontius Pilate in the Biblical passion story)
此起彼落cǐqǐbǐluòrepeating continuously
不分彼此bùfēnbǐcǐto share everything
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 彼
What does 彼此 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 彼
The character 彼 (bǐ) can mean 'that,' 'those,' or 'another.' Additionally, it can imply a sense of distinction between two entities, similar to saying 'the other one.' Its usage can vary based on context, particularly in written language.
While 彼 (bǐ) is understood by Chinese speakers, it is not commonly used in everyday conversation. Instead, people often prefer more colloquial terms like '那个' (nà ge) for 'that.' However, it may appear in formal writing or literature.
彼 (bǐ) refers to 'that' or 'those' in Chinese. It can also mean 'another' or 'one another' in certain contexts. This character is often used in literary or formal language.
To use 彼 (bǐ) in a sentence, you can say '彼是我的朋友' which means 'That is my friend.' It’s important to note that 彼 is typically used in more formal or literary contexts, so in everyday conversation, you might use other terms like '那个' (nà ge).
Use 彼 when referring to things that are not close to you or are being compared to something else, while 这 is used for things that are near.
彼 is generally more formal and often found in written language or literature, whereas 这 is more common in everyday conversation.
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