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碚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
碚bèisuburbg, 13 strokes, radical 石
碚bèi(used in place names)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 石
bèi(bei4) T4
  1. 1suburb
  2. 2(used in place names)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

碚bèi(bei4)

The character 碚 (bèi) refers to a suburb or an area outside of a city, often used in the context of place names in China. It signifies a location that is typically residential or less urbanized compared to the city center, indicating a more tranquil environment.

Strokes13Radical石
Cultural Note

In China, suburbs are rapidly developing as urban areas expand, reflecting a shift in lifestyle for many city dwellers seeking more space and nature, which is represented by the character 碚 in various suburban names.

Memory Tip

Imagine a peaceful suburb where the sound of a 'bèi' (bay) can be heard. The character 碚 combines the radical for stone (石) which might remind you of solid, grounded homes in the suburb, with the phonetic component that sounds like 'bèi'. Picture a quiet bay with houses nestled beside it.

Meanings of 碚

bèi(bei4)
1suburb
2(used in place names)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 碚

碚Simplified
13Strokes
石Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 碚

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Podcast: 碚

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AI Study Notes for 碚

Usage Notes

This character is specifically used in geographical names and may not be used in everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters; always pay attention to the context in which it appears.

HSK Study Tips

While 碚 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, learners can connect this character with other place-related vocabulary, enhancing their geographic terminology. Pay attention to how this character appears in various place names as you expand your knowledge of locations in China.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 碚 with similar characters like 北 (běi), which means 'north'. Always remember that 碚 relates to suburbs and is used in specific names, while 北 is directional.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 碚

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Etymology of 碚

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

stone

Semantic (meaning)石
+
Phonetic (sound)咅
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 碚

  1. 1The meaning half石 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half咅 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaystone
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 碚? 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 碚?

Decomposition of 碚

IDS Structure⿰石咅
碚Full Character
=
石dan4
left
咅pou3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 碚?

How to say suburb in Chinese

“suburb” in Chinese is碚bèi

The character 碚 (bèi) refers to a suburb or an area outside of a city, often used in the context of place names in China. It signifies a location that is typically residential or less urbanized compared to the city center, indicating a more tranquil environment.

When to use 碚

This character is specifically used in geographical names and may not be used in everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters; always pay attention to the context in which it appears.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 碚 with similar characters like 北 (běi), which means 'north'. Always remember that 碚 relates to suburbs and is used in specific names, while 北 is directional.

Write 碚

碚

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 碚

Words Containing This Character2
碚bèi(used in place names)
北碚区Beibei district of central Chongqing municipality, formerly in Sichuan北碚區
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 碚 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 碚

No, 碚 is primarily used in geographical contexts and is more likely to be found in place names.

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