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筚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
筚bìwicker, bambooHSK 7, n, 12 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #64178, Very Hard
bì(bi4) T4
  1. 1wicker, bamboo
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

筚(篳)bì(bi4)

The character 筚 (bì) refers to materials made from wicker or bamboo, often used in crafting various items like baskets or mats. It is commonly used in contexts related to traditional Chinese crafts and rural life, highlighting the resourcefulness of using natural materials.

Strokes12Radical⺮Frequency#64178DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

Wicker and bamboo crafts are deeply embedded in Chinese culture, often seen in rural communities where these materials are abundant. The use of bamboo is celebrated in Chinese art, symbolizing flexibility and resilience.

Memory Tip

Imagine a bamboo basket, intricately woven, representing the character 筚. The top part of the character resembles the shape of a basket, while the bottom part signifies the plant materials used. Remember 'bì' as 'bamboo basket' to connect the sound and meaning.

Meanings of 筚

bì(bi4)
1wicker, bamboo
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 筚

筚Simplified
篳Traditional
12Strokes
⺮Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 筚

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Podcast: 筚

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AI Study Notes for 筚

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 筚 (bì) with similar-sounding characters. This term is more formal and specific, often used in literature or discussions about crafts. Common collocations include 筚子 (bìzi) meaning 'bamboo strips' or 'wicker items.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 筚 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects well to Level 3 themes of everyday materials and crafts. Students should focus on recognizing its components and understanding its use in traditional contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 筚 as 'bā' instead of 'bì'. Additionally, they might confuse it with other bamboo-related characters like 竹 (zhú), which means 'bamboo' but is not specific to wicker.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 筚

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Etymology of 筚

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

bamboo

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 筚

  1. 1The meaning half⺮ carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half毕 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaybamboo
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 筚? 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 筚?

Decomposition of 筚

IDS Structure⿱⺮毕
筚Full Character
=
⺮zhu2
top
毕Bi4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 筚?

How to say wicker, bamboo in Chinese

“wicker, bamboo” in Chinese is筚bì

The character 筚 (bì) refers to materials made from wicker or bamboo, often used in crafting various items like baskets or mats. It is commonly used in contexts related to traditional Chinese crafts and rural life, highlighting the resourcefulness of using natural materials.

When to use 筚

Be careful not to confuse 筚 (bì) with similar-sounding characters. This term is more formal and specific, often used in literature or discussions about crafts. Common collocations include 筚子 (bìzi) meaning 'bamboo strips' or 'wicker items.'

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 筚 as 'bā' instead of 'bì'. Additionally, they might confuse it with other bamboo-related characters like 竹 (zhú), which means 'bamboo' but is not specific to wicker.

Write 筚

筚

Practice writing 筚 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 筚

Words Containing This Character2
筚bìwicker篳
筚路蓝缕the hardships of beginning an undertaking (idiom)篳路藍縷
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 筚 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 筚

Words like 竹 (zhú, bamboo) and 篮 (lán, basket) are related, as they all pertain to materials used in crafting.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 筚?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.