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聘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
聘
pìn
to engage (a teacher etc)
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
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About 聘
聘Simplified
13Strokes
耳Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#13233Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 聘
Podcast: 聘
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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
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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
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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.
The accounts have to be audited by a firm of external auditors.
9
我按照聘约要在这里教一年书.
wǒ ànzhào pìn yāo yào zài zhèlǐ jiāo yī nián shū.
I'm under contract to teach here for one year.
10
他招聘了两个懂多种语言的工程师。
tā zhāopìn le liǎng gè dǒng duōzhǒng yǔyán de gōngchéngshī。
He recruited two multilingual engineers.
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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zhāopìnhuìjob fair招聘會
聘任pìnrènappointed
解聘jiěpìnto sack
受聘shòupìnhired (for employment)
应聘者yìngpìnzhěperson taking a job應聘者
聘书pìnshūcontract聘書
聘礼pìnlǐbetrothal gift聘禮
招聘者zhāopìnzhěprospective employer
聘金pìnjīnbetrothal money (given to the bride's family)
延聘yánpìnto hire
征聘zhēngpìnto recruit徵聘
下聘xiàpìnto send the betrothal gifts
聘问pìnwènto visit as envoy聘問
缓聘huǎnpìnto defer employment緩聘
纳聘nàpìnto 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.
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