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顰 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
顰pínto frown; to knit the browsx, 24 strokes, radical 頁
pín(pin2)pin T2
  1. 1to frown; to knit the brows
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March 24, 2026

顰pín(pin2)

The character 顰 (pín) means to frown or to knit the brows, often indicating displeasure or deep thought. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in literary contexts or discussions about emotions. Understanding this character can enhance comprehension of nuanced emotional expressions in Chinese literature.

Strokes24Radical頁
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the expression of emotions is often subtle and nuanced, with frowning seen as a clear sign of dissatisfaction or concern. Understanding 顰 helps students appreciate the cultural significance of non-verbal cues in communication.

Memory tip

Imagine a person with a frown so deep that their brows knit together, creating an 'X' shape. The character 顰 resembles a face with furrowed brows, and the sound 'pín' can remind you of 'pinching' your brows together in concentration or displeasure.

Meanings of 顰

pín(pin2)
1to frown; to knit the brows
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 顰

顰Simplified
24Strokes
頁Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 顰

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AI study notes for 顰

Usage Notes

This character is rarely used in casual conversation, so it's important to recognize it in literary texts. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; 顰 should not be used in the same contexts as more common words for 'frown'. Collocations may include phrases about expressing emotions or reactions.

HSK Study Tips

While 顰 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, its understanding can deepen your grasp of emotional expressions in Chinese. Students at this level should focus on recognizing literary and poetic uses of the character to appreciate its emotional depth.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 顰 with similar characters like 皱 (zhòu) or 愁 (chóu), which have different meanings. For example, saying '他总是皱' (tā zǒng shì zhòu) to mean 'he always frowns' is incorrect; it should specify the brows as in '他总是皱眉' (tā zǒng shì zhòu méi).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 顰

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Etymology of 顰

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

despise

Semantic (meaning)卑
+
Phonetic (sound)頻
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

顰 = 卑 + 頻. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 顰

IDS Structure⿱頻卑
顰Full character
=
頻pin2
top
卑bei1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 顰?

How to say to frown; to knit the brows in Chinese

“to frown; to knit the brows” in Chinese is顰pín

The character 顰 (pín) means to frown or to knit the brows, often indicating displeasure or deep thought. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in literary contexts or discussions about emotions. Understanding this character can enhance comprehension of nuanced emotional expressions in Chinese literature.

When to use 顰

This character is rarely used in casual conversation, so it's important to recognize it in literary texts. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; 顰 should not be used in the same contexts as more common words for 'frown'. Collocations may include phrases about expressing emotions or reactions.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 顰 with similar characters like 皱 (zhòu) or 愁 (chóu), which have different meanings. For example, saying '他总是皱' (tā zǒng shì zhòu) to mean 'he always frowns' is incorrect; it should specify the brows as in '他总是皱眉' (tā zǒng shì zhòu méi).

Write 顰

顰

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

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Word Family of 顰

Words containing this character3
一颦一笑every frown and every smile一顰一笑
颦pínto scowl顰
东施效颦lit. Dong Shi imitates Xi Shi's frown (idiom)東施效顰
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 顰

What does 一颦一笑 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 顰

The pronunciation is 'pín', with a rising tone.

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