HSK 4, q, 15 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #1995, Medium
篇
piān
piece of writing
HSK 4, q, 15 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #1995, Medium
篇
piān
bound set of bamboo slips used for record keeping (old)
HSK 4, q, 15 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #1995, Medium
篇
piān
classifier for written items: chapter, article
HSK 4, q, 15 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #1995, Medium
篇
piān
chapter, section; article, essay
HSK 4, q, 15 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #1995, Medium
piān(pian1) T1
1sheet
2piece of writing
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March 24, 2026
篇piān(pian1)
The character 篇 (piān) refers to a piece of writing, such as an article or essay. It is commonly used as a classifier for written items, indicating chapters or sections in books or documents. In historical contexts, it can also refer to bound sets of bamboo slips used for record keeping.
Strokes15Radical⺮Frequency#1995DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In ancient China, documents were often recorded on bamboo slips, which were then bound together. This historical practice highlights the importance of written records in Chinese culture, where literature and scholarly works have long been valued.
Memory Tip
Imagine a scroll (the character's radical is '竹', meaning bamboo) where various articles are written. Picture each piece of writing as a 'sheet' of bamboo, and remember that 'piān' sounds like 'pianist,' who plays on sheets of music. Visualize a pianist carefully choosing a bamboo scroll to perform from.
Meanings of 篇
piān(pian1)
1sheet
2piece of writing
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 篇
篇Simplified
15Strokes
⺮Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1995Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 篇
Podcast: 篇
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AI Study Notes for 篇
Quick Contrast
文章 (wénzhāng) - use 篇 (piān) when referring to the specific piece or section of writing, while 文章 (wénzhāng) refers more generally to articles or essays.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a scroll (the character's radical is '竹', meaning bamboo) where various articles are written. Picture each piece of writing as a 'sheet' of bamboo, and remember that 'piān' sounds like 'pianist,' who plays on sheets of music. Visualize a pianist carefully choosing a bamboo scroll to perform from.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 篇 (piān) with other classifiers like 本 (běn) or 份 (fèn), which have different contexts. 篇 is typically used for essays and articles, making it more formal compared to casual writing. Remember to use the correct tone: it’s pronounced with the first tone, piān.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 4 word, 篇 (piān) connects well with other vocabulary related to writing and literature, such as 文章 (wénzhāng, article) and 报告 (bàogào, report). Focus on practicing its usage in sentences to reinforce its classification function.
Cultural Note
In ancient China, documents were often recorded on bamboo slips, which were then bound together. This historical practice highlights the importance of written records in Chinese culture, where literature and scholarly works have long been valued.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 篇 (piān) for informal writings like notes or messages. For example, saying '我写了三篇短信' (I wrote three articles/messages) is incorrect; instead, use 短信 (duǎnxìn) for messages.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 篇
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Grammar Patterns of 篇
篇 functions as a measure word. Place it between a number/demonstrative and the noun it counts (一本书, 这个人). Different categories of nouns require different measure words. It carries 5 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.
I have twenty novels and countless magazine stories to my credit.
10
你提出的论点很好，但整篇文章缺乏呼应连贯。
nǐ tí chū de lùn diǎn hěn hǎo， ， dàn zhěng piān wén zhāng quē fá hū yīng lián。
The points you make are fine, but the whole essay lacks coherence.
Cultural Notes for 篇
🏮Cultural insight
In ancient China, documents were often recorded on bamboo slips, which were then bound together. This historical practice highlights the importance of written records in Chinese culture, where literature and scholarly works have long been valued.
Word Family of 篇
Words Containing This Character18
篇piānsheet
篇章writing
篇幅piānfúlength (of a piece of writing)
长篇lengthy (report or speech)長篇
千篇一律once you've seen one, you've seen them all
诗篇a poem詩篇
短篇小说short story短篇小說
开篇start of literary work開篇
长篇小说novel長篇小說
老三篇Lao San Pian, three short essays written by Mao Zedong before the PRC was established
中篇小说novella中篇小說
名篇famous piece of writing
连篇累牍verbose連篇累牘
篇目table of contents
鬼话连篇to talk nonsense鬼話連篇
废话连篇a bunch of nonsense廢話連篇
长篇累牍(of a text) very lengthy (idiom)長篇累牘
空话连篇long-winded empty talk空話連篇
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 篇 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 篇
篇 (piān) and 章 (zhāng) both refer to written pieces, but they are used in different contexts. 篇 is often used for articles or essays, while 章 typically refers to chapters in a book. Knowing the context can help you choose the appropriate term.
While 篇 (piān) is primarily used for articles, essays, and similar written pieces, it is not typically used for books or novels, which are classified using 书 (shū). It's important to understand the context to use the correct classifier.
篇 (piān) refers to a sheet or piece of writing, typically used as a classifier for written items such as chapters or articles. It can also denote a bound set of bamboo slips used in ancient record keeping. Understanding its usage can help in identifying and categorizing different types of written content in Chinese.
To use 篇 (piān) in a sentence, you can say something like '我写了一篇文章' (Wǒ xiěle yī piān wénzhāng), which translates to 'I wrote an article.' It is commonly placed after the noun to indicate that it is a written piece.
篇 (piān) is a classifier for written works, while 文章 (wénzhāng) specifically means 'article' or 'essay'.
No, 篇 is not used for entire books; it's more suitable for chapters or articles. Use 本 (běn) for books.
Yes, while it is more common in written contexts, it can also appear in spoken language when discussing articles or essays.
