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March 24, 2026
疲pí(pi2)
The character 疲 (pí) means 'weary' or 'tired,' often referring to a state of physical or mental exhaustion. It is commonly used in contexts related to fatigue, both in everyday situations and in literary works, emphasizing a sense of depletion or weariness.
Strokes10Radical疒Frequency#17148DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of fatigue is often linked to the importance of balance between work and rest. Traditional practices like Tai Chi and Qigong emphasize energy management, where recognizing one's fatigue can be crucial for health and well-being.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person who has run a long marathon, their legs feeling like they are made of clay (the radical 疒, meaning illness, hints at the fatigue). The sound 'pí' can remind you of 'pee,' which can happen when you're too tired to hold it in during a race. Visualize the exhausted runner collapsing at the finish line.
Meanings of 疲
pí(pi2)
1weary
2weak, tired, exhausted
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 疲
疲Simplified
10Strokes
疒Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#17148Frequency Rank
Podcast: 疲
Podcast: 疲
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AI Study Notes for 疲
Quick Contrast
疲 (tired) vs 累 (tired/weary) — use 疲 when emphasizing a state of exhaustion, while 累 can imply a more general sense of tiredness.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 疲 (pí) with similar sounding words that convey different meanings, such as 皮 (pí, skin). It's generally used in both formal and informal settings, but is more common in everyday conversation. Typical collocations include 疲惫 (píbèi, exhausted) and 精疲力竭 (jīngpí lìjié, completely worn out).
HSK Study Tips
Although 疲 (pí) isn't on the official HSK lists, it connects well with HSK 3 and 4 vocabulary focused on feelings and states of being, like 累 (lèi, tired) and 痛 (tòng, pain). Students should focus on vocabulary related to emotions and health for better contextual understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 疲 by mixing it with 皮 (pí), leading to sentences like '我很皮' (Wǒ hěn pí), which is incorrect. The correct phrase should be '我很疲' (Wǒ hěn pí) to express tiredness.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 疲
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Drill the tone of 疲 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 皮 represents the sound.
1The meaning half疒 carries the sense.
2The sound half皮 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaysickness
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 疲? 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 疲?
Decomposition of 疲
IDS Structure⿸疒皮
疲Full Character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
皮Pi2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 疲?
How to say weary in Chinese
“weary” in Chinese is疲pí
The character 疲 (pí) means 'weary' or 'tired,' often referring to a state of physical or mental exhaustion. It is commonly used in contexts related to fatigue, both in everyday situations and in literary works, emphasizing a sense of depletion or weariness.
When to use 疲
Be cautious not to confuse 疲 (pí) with similar sounding words that convey different meanings, such as 皮 (pí, skin). It's generally used in both formal and informal settings, but is more common in everyday conversation. Typical collocations include 疲惫 (píbèi, exhausted) and 精疲力竭 (jīngpí lìjié, completely worn out).
疲 or something close to it
疲 (tired) vs 累 (tired/weary) — use 疲 when emphasizing a state of exhaustion, while 累 can imply a more general sense of tiredness.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 疲 by mixing it with 皮 (pí), leading to sentences like '我很皮' (Wǒ hěn pí), which is incorrect. The correct phrase should be '我很疲' (Wǒ hěn pí) to express tiredness.
Write 疲
疲
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Grammar Patterns of 疲
疲 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
