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翩 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
翩
piān
to fly, to flutter
nr, 15 strokes, radical 羽, rank #61009, Very Hard
翩
piān
to fly fast
unknown, 15 strokes, radical 羽, rank #61009, Very Hard
piān(pian1)pian T1
1to fly, to flutter
2to fly fast
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March 24, 2026
翩piān(pian1)
The character 翩 (piān) conveys the action of flying or fluttering with grace and lightness. It is often used in literary contexts to describe birds or butterflies in flight, emphasizing elegance and swiftness.
Strokes15Radical羽Frequency#61009DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese poetry and literature, the imagery of fluttering or flying often symbolizes freedom and beauty, reflecting traditional values of nature and art. The character may appear in classical texts that celebrate the elegance of nature.
Memory tip
Imagine a butterfly (representing the wings) fluttering gracefully in the air. The character 翩 contains the wing radical (羽), which helps remind you of flying, while the sound 'piān' can be linked to the 'pan' in 'panache', suggesting style and flair in flight.
Meanings of 翩
piān(pian1)
1to fly, to flutter
2to fly fast
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 翩 means.
About 翩
翩Simplified
15Strokes
羽Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 翩
Podcast: 翩
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AI study notes for 翩
Quick Contrast
翱 (áo) - use 翩 for graceful, light movements, while 翱 suggests soaring or flying high.
Usage Notes
This character is typically used in more poetic or descriptive contexts rather than everyday conversation. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words; always remember it relates specifically to graceful flight. Common collocations include phrases describing the movement of birds and dancers.
HSK Study Tips
Though not part of the HSK curriculum, learning 翩 can enhance your vocabulary relating to nature and movement. Focus on its poetic usage and try connecting it with other movement-related words, such as 飞 (fēi) meaning 'to fly'.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 翩 with 飞 (fēi), which simply means 'to fly' without the nuance of grace. For example, saying '我翩去北京' (wǒ piān qù běijīng) to mean 'I fly to Beijing' is incorrect; the correct term would be '我飞去北京' (wǒ fēi qù běijīng).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 翩
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 翩 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
翩 = 羽 + 扁. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 翩
IDS Structure⿰扁羽
翩Full character
=
扁bian3
left
羽yu3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 翩?
How to say to fly, to flutter in Chinese
“to fly, to flutter” in Chinese is翩piān
The character 翩 (piān) conveys the action of flying or fluttering with grace and lightness. It is often used in literary contexts to describe birds or butterflies in flight, emphasizing elegance and swiftness.
When to use 翩
This character is typically used in more poetic or descriptive contexts rather than everyday conversation. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words; always remember it relates specifically to graceful flight. Common collocations include phrases describing the movement of birds and dancers.
翩 or something close to it
翱 (áo) - use 翩 for graceful, light movements, while 翱 suggests soaring or flying high.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 翩 with 飞 (fēi), which simply means 'to fly' without the nuance of grace. For example, saying '我翩去北京' (wǒ piān qù běijīng) to mean 'I fly to Beijing' is incorrect; the correct term would be '我飞去北京' (wǒ fēi qù běijīng).
Write 翩
翩
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Practice writing 翩 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 翩
翩 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 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.
Exercise 1 of 5
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
那位女演员身穿飘逸的长裙____然走进房间.
The actress sailed into the room in her flowing dress.
Example sentences for 翩 (11)
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1
那位女演员身穿飘逸的长裙翩然走进房间.
nà wèi nǚ yǎnyuán shēn chuān piāo yì de cháng qún piān rán zǒujìn fángjiān.
The actress sailed into the room in her flowing dress.
