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跸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
跸bìto clear the way; to make way for the emperorg, 13 strokes, radical 足
跸bìto clear streets when emperor toursunknown, 13 strokes, radical 足
bì(bi4) T4
  1. 1to clear the way; to make way for the emperor
  2. 2to clear streets when emperor tours
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March 24, 2026

跸(蹕)bì(bi4)

The character 跸 (bì) means to clear the way, particularly in the context of making way for an emperor or during an imperial procession. It is used to describe the act of removing obstacles or crowds to facilitate the passage of someone of high status, reflecting the hierarchical nature of traditional Chinese society.

Strokes13Radical足
Cultural Note

In ancient China, the act of clearing the way was not just a matter of logistics but also a demonstration of respect and status, reflecting the emperor's supreme authority. This practice is evident in historical texts and rituals associated with imperial ceremonies.

Memory Tip

Imagine a royal procession where officials wave large flags to clear the path for the emperor. The character 跸 contains the radical 辶 (walking) which suggests movement, and it phonetically resembles 'bee,' buzzing around to create a clear path. Visualize bees flying in formation to clear a way through flowers.

Meanings of 跸

bì(bi4)
1to clear the way; to make way for the emperor
2to clear streets when emperor tours
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 跸

跸Simplified
蹕Traditional
13Strokes
足Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 跸

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Podcast: 跸

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AI Study Notes for 跸

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 跸 with similar-sounding words, as it specifically relates to imperial contexts. It is formal and rarely used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include '清道' (clear the way) and '御驾' (imperial carriage).

HSK Study Tips

While 跸 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with themes of traditional authority and respect seen in other HSK Level 5 words. Students should focus on understanding the nuances of formality in language and how words relate to cultural hierarchy.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 跸 in casual contexts, thinking it applies to any situation requiring a path to be cleared. A correction would be to use simpler terms like '让路' (make way) in everyday conversations.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 跸

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Etymology of 跸

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

foot

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 跸

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

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

Want the full history of 跸? 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 跸?

Decomposition of 跸

IDS Structure⿰足毕
跸Full Character
=
足ju4
left
毕Bi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 跸?

How to say to clear the way; to make way for the emperor in Chinese

“to clear the way; to make way for the emperor” in Chinese is跸bì

The character 跸 (bì) means to clear the way, particularly in the context of making way for an emperor or during an imperial procession. It is used to describe the act of removing obstacles or crowds to facilitate the passage of someone of high status, reflecting the hierarchical nature of traditional Chinese society.

When to use 跸

Be cautious not to confuse 跸 with similar-sounding words, as it specifically relates to imperial contexts. It is formal and rarely used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include '清道' (clear the way) and '御驾' (imperial carriage).

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 跸 in casual contexts, thinking it applies to any situation requiring a path to be cleared. A correction would be to use simpler terms like '让路' (make way) in everyday conversations.

Write 跸

跸

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

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Word Family of 跸

Words Containing This Character1
跸bìto clear streets when emperor tours蹕
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 跸 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 跸

No, 跸 is mainly used in historical or literary contexts related to emperors and is not common in everyday conversation.

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