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碰 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
碰
pèng
to touch; to meet with; to collide, to bump into
HSK 5, v, 13 strokes, radical 石, rank #774, Hard
碰
pèng
to bump
HSK 5, unknown, 13 strokes, radical 石, rank #774, Hard
碰
pèng
old variant of 碰[pèng]
HSK 5, v, 13 strokes, radical 石, rank #774, Hard
pèng(peng4)peng T4
1to touch; to meet with; to collide, to bump into
2to bump
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March 24, 2026
碰(掽)pèng(peng4)
碰 (pèng) means 'to touch' or 'to collide.' It is commonly used in contexts where people or objects come into contact with each other, such as bumping into someone or something. The word can also imply a chance encounter or meeting.
Strokes13Radical石Frequency#774DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, casual encounters are often viewed positively, and the term 碰 can imply serendipity in meeting someone unexpectedly, reflecting the value placed on social connections.
Memory tip
Think of '碰' as a friendly 'ping' when two people or objects meet. The left side (扌) represents 'hand,' suggesting touch, while the right side (碰) relates to the sound of something colliding, like a friendly bump.
Meanings of 碰
pèng(peng4)
1to touch; to meet with; to collide, to bump into
2to bump
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 碰
碰Simplified
掽Traditional
13Strokes
石Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#774Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 碰
Podcast: 碰
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AI study notes for 碰
Quick Contrast
碰 (pèng) vs 撞 (zhuàng) — use 碰 for light contact or accidental touch, while 撞 indicates a forceful collision.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 碰 with other similar-sounding words, as context is vital for proper usage. This term is informal and often used in conversational settings. Common collocations include 碰见 (pèngjiàn - to meet) and 碰撞 (pèngzhuàng - to collide).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 碰 connects with other verbs related to movement or contact like 走 (zǒu - to walk) and 跑 (pǎo - to run). Focus on using it in sentences about interactions or encounters to solidify your understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mix up 碰 with similar verbs like 见 (jiàn - to see), leading to incorrect phrases like '我碰他' (Wǒ pèng tā - I touch him) instead of '我见他' (Wǒ jiàn tā - I see him). Remember, 碰 focuses on the action of collision or touching.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 碰
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 碰 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.
碰 = 石 + 並. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 碰
IDS Structure⿰石並
碰Full character
=
石dan4
left
並bing4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 碰?
How to say to touch; to meet with; to collide, to bump into in Chinese
“to touch; to meet with; to collide, to bump into” in Chinese is碰pèng
碰 (pèng) means 'to touch' or 'to collide.' It is commonly used in contexts where people or objects come into contact with each other, such as bumping into someone or something. The word can also imply a chance encounter or meeting.
When to use 碰
Be cautious not to confuse 碰 with other similar-sounding words, as context is vital for proper usage. This term is informal and often used in conversational settings. Common collocations include 碰见 (pèngjiàn - to meet) and 碰撞 (pèngzhuàng - to collide).
碰 or something close to it
碰 (pèng) vs 撞 (zhuàng) — use 碰 for light contact or accidental touch, while 撞 indicates a forceful collision.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mix up 碰 with similar verbs like 见 (jiàn - to see), leading to incorrect phrases like '我碰他' (Wǒ pèng tā - I touch him) instead of '我见他' (Wǒ jiàn tā - I see him). Remember, 碰 focuses on the action of collision or touching.
Write 碰
碰
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Grammar patterns of 碰
碰 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 3 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.
There is an asteroid on a collision course with the Earth.
11
在这个项目中，我们必须准备好随时面对新的挑战和困难，尤其是在资源不足时碰到的情况。
Zài zhège xiàngmù zhōng, wǒmen bìxū zhǔnbèi hǎo suíshí miànduì xīn de tiǎozhàn hé kùnnán, yóuqí shì zài zīyuán bùzú shí pèngdào de qíngkuàng.
In this project, we must be prepared to face new challenges and difficulties at any time, especially situations encountered when resources are insufficient.
12
他在街上碰到一个多年未见的老同学，感到非常惊喜。
Tā zài jiē shàng pèng dào yī gè duō nián wèi jiàn de lǎo tóngxué, gǎndào fēicháng jīngxǐ.
He ran into an old classmate he hadn't seen for years on the street and was very pleasantly surprised.
In this project, we often encounter unexpected problems.
15
他在走廊上不小心碰到了一个花瓶，结果花瓶摔破了。
Tā zài zǒuláng shàng bù xiǎoxīn pèng dào le yī gè huāpíng, jiéguǒ huāpíng shuāi pò le.
He accidentally knocked into a vase in the hallway, and it broke.
16
在这个项目中，我们必须准备好随时面对新的挑战和困难，尤其是在资源不足时碰到的情况。
Zài zhège xiàngmù zhōng, wǒmen bìxū zhǔnbèi hǎo suíshí miànduì xīn de tiǎozhàn hé kùnnán, yóuqí shì zài zīyuán bùzú shí pèngdào de qíngkuàng.
In this project, we must be prepared to face new challenges and difficulties at any time, especially situations encountered when resources are insufficient.
17
他在街上碰到一个多年未见的老同学，感到非常惊喜。
Tā zài jiē shàng pèng dào yī gè duō nián wèi jiàn de lǎo tóngxué, gǎndào fēicháng jīngxǐ.
He ran into an old classmate he hadn't seen for years on the street and was very pleasantly surprised.
In this project, we often encounter unexpected problems.
20
他在走廊上不小心碰到了一个花瓶，结果花瓶摔破了。
Tā zài zǒuláng shàng bù xiǎoxīn pèng dào le yī gè huāpíng, jiéguǒ huāpíng shuāi pò le.
He accidentally knocked into a vase in the hallway, and it broke.
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Word Family of 碰
Words containing this character18
碰pèngto touch
碰到pèngdàoto come across
碰撞pèngzhuàngto collide
碰上pèngshàngto run into
碰巧pèngqiǎoby chance
碰见pèngjiànto run into碰見
碰头pèngtóuto meet碰頭
碰面pèngmiànto meet
触碰chùpèngto touch觸碰
碰壁pèngbìto hit a wall
硬碰硬yìngpèngyìngpainstaking
碰碰车pèngpèngchēbumper car碰碰車
碰运气pèngyùnqito try one's luck碰運氣
碰瓷pèngcí(coll.) to scam sb by setting up an "accident" in which one appears to have sustained damage or injury caused by the scam victim, then demanding compensation (variations include putting "expensive" porcelain in a place where it is likely to be knocked ove
磕碰kēpèngto knock against
碰钉子pèngdīngzito meet with a rebuff碰釘子
碰击pèngjīto knock against碰擊
碰一鼻子灰pèngyìbízihuīlit. to have one's nose rubbed in the dirt
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 碰
What does 碰到 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 碰
碰 (pèng) and 撞 (zhuàng) both refer to physical contact but have different connotations. 碰 implies a lighter touch or bump, while 撞 suggests a more forceful collision. Understanding these nuances can help learners choose the right word in context.
碰 (pèng) means 'to bump into' or 'to touch.' It can refer to meeting with someone or colliding with an object. The character is used in various contexts, such as physical contact or accidental encounters.
You can use 碰 in sentences to describe physical interaction or encounters. For example, '我不小心碰到了他' means 'I accidentally bumped into him.' It can also be used in phrases like '碰见' which means 'to meet' or 'to run into.'
You can say '我碰到了老朋友' (Wǒ pèng dào le lǎo péngyǒu) which means 'I ran into an old friend.'
No, 碰 is primarily used in informal speech or writing. For formal contexts, consider using 触碰 (chùpèng) instead.
碰 emphasizes the physical aspect of meeting or touching, while 见 is more about the act of seeing or meeting someone.
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