HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 耳, rank #13233, Very Hard
聘
pìn
to hire
HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 耳, rank #13233, Very Hard
聘
pìn
to betroth
HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 耳, rank #13233, Very Hard
聘
pìn
betrothal gift
HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 耳, rank #13233, Very Hard
聘
pìn
to get married (of woman)
HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 耳, rank #13233, Very Hard
聘
pìn
to employ, to engage; betrothed
HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 耳, rank #13233, Very Hard
pìn(pin4)pin T4
1to engage (a teacher etc)
2to hire
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
聘pìn(pin4)
The character 聘 (pìn) primarily means to engage or hire someone, often in the context of employing teachers or other professionals. Additionally, it has connotations related to marriage, particularly in the sense of betrothal or the act of getting married, typically from the woman's perspective. This dual usage makes it relevant in both professional and personal contexts.
Strokes13Radical耳Frequency#13233DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 聘 is significant during wedding preparations, where the betrothal gifts (聘礼) are exchanged as a formal agreement between families, reflecting the importance of familial ties in marriage.
Memory Tip
Think of 聘 (pìn) as a combination of the 'ear' (耳) and 'message' (言) components, suggesting that you 'listen to the words' of someone you wish to hire or marry. Imagine a teacher sharing wisdom and a groom promising love, both requiring careful attention to their messages.
Meanings of 聘
pìn(pin4)
1to engage (a teacher etc)
2to hire
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 聘 means.
About 聘
聘Simplified
13Strokes
耳Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#13233Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 聘
Podcast: 聘
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 聘
Quick Contrast
聘 (pìn) vs 雇 (gù) — use 聘 (pìn) specifically for engaging professionals or in marriage contexts, whereas 雇 (gù) is used for hiring workers in a more general employment sense.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 聘 (pìn) with similar-sounding words like 职 (zhí), which means 'position' or 'job.' It's important to remember that 聘 is more about engagement and relationships, while 职 focuses on roles. The tone can also be tricky; ensure you maintain the fourth tone to avoid miscommunication.
HSK Study Tips
Although 聘 is not specifically listed in HSK, it connects to themes of employment and relationships found in HSK Level 4 and 5 vocabulary, such as 雇佣 (gùyōng, to hire) and 婚礼 (hūnlǐ, wedding). Students should practice using 聘 in sentences related to hiring and marriages to solidify their understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 聘 with 职 (zhí) or 婚 (hūn), leading to incorrect phrases like '聘工作的老师' instead of '聘请工作的老师' (hiring a working teacher). Remember that 聘 is specifically about the act of engaging someone.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 聘
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 聘 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 聘 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
How Well Do You Know 聘?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 聘 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.
聘 = 耳 + 甹. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 聘
IDS Structure⿰耳甹
聘Full Character
=
耳er3
left
甹ping1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 聘?
How to say to engage (a teacher etc) in Chinese
“to engage (a teacher etc)” in Chinese is聘pìn
The character 聘 (pìn) primarily means to engage or hire someone, often in the context of employing teachers or other professionals. Additionally, it has connotations related to marriage, particularly in the sense of betrothal or the act of getting married, typically from the woman's perspective. This dual usage makes it relevant in both professional and personal contexts.
When to use 聘
Common mistakes include confusing 聘 (pìn) with similar-sounding words like 职 (zhí), which means 'position' or 'job.' It's important to remember that 聘 is more about engagement and relationships, while 职 focuses on roles. The tone can also be tricky; ensure you maintain the fourth tone to avoid miscommunication.
聘 or something close to it
聘 (pìn) vs 雇 (gù) — use 聘 (pìn) specifically for engaging professionals or in marriage contexts, whereas 雇 (gù) is used for hiring workers in a more general employment sense.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 聘 with 职 (zhí) or 婚 (hūn), leading to incorrect phrases like '聘工作的老师' instead of '聘请工作的老师' (hiring a working teacher). Remember that 聘 is specifically about the act of engaging someone.
Write 聘
聘
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 聘 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 聘
聘 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 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.
tā zhāo pìn le liǎng gè dǒng duō zhǒng yǔ yán de gōng chéng shī。
He recruited two multilingual engineers.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 聘?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
Word Family of 聘
Words Containing This Character20
招聘zhāopìnto recruit
聘请pìnqǐngto engage聘請
聘pìnto hire
应聘yìngpìnto accept a job offer應聘
聘用pìnyòngto employ
招聘会job fair招聘會
聘任pìnrènappointed
解聘to sack
受聘hired (for employment)
应聘者person taking a job應聘者
聘书contract聘書
聘礼betrothal gift聘禮
招聘者prospective employer
聘金betrothal money (given to the bride's family)
延聘to hire
征聘to recruit徵聘
下聘to send the betrothal gifts
聘问to visit as envoy聘問
缓聘to defer employment緩聘
纳聘to pay bride-price (payment to the bride's family in former times)納聘
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 聘
What does 招聘 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 聘
Some synonyms for 聘 (pìn) include 雇用 (gùyòng), which means to employ, and 订婚 (dìnghūn), which refers specifically to engagement. While 雇用 focuses on the employment aspect, 订婚 emphasizes the marriage proposal aspect.
Yes, 聘 (pìn) is still used in modern Chinese, particularly in formal contexts like hiring professionals or discussing engagements. However, in everyday language, you might encounter simpler terms for hiring, while the betrothal aspect is often discussed in cultural or traditional contexts.
聘 (pìn) means to engage or hire someone, often referring to teachers or professionals. It can also imply a betrothal or engagement, especially in the context of marriage. In some cases, it denotes the act of marrying, particularly from the woman's perspective.
You can use 聘 (pìn) in sentences like '他聘请了一位老师' (Tā pìnqǐngle yī wèi lǎoshī), meaning 'He hired a teacher.' Another example is '我们在进行聘婚的仪式' (Wǒmen zài jìnxíng pìn hūn de yíshì), which translates to 'We are conducting the betrothal ceremony.'
You can say, '他聘请了一个老师' (Tā pìnqǐngle yīgè lǎoshī), meaning 'He hired a teacher.'
聘 is generally used in formal contexts, especially related to employment or marriage arrangements.
No, 聘 is neutral and typically carries a positive meaning in the context of hiring or engagement.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 聘?
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.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
