HSK 7, zg, 15 strokes, radical 心, rank #6270, Very Hard
憋
biē
to stifle
HSK 7, zg, 15 strokes, radical 心, rank #6270, Very Hard
憋
biē
to restrain
HSK 7, zg, 15 strokes, radical 心, rank #6270, Very Hard
憋
biē
to hold back
HSK 7, zg, 15 strokes, radical 心, rank #6270, Very Hard
憋
biē
to hold in (urine)
HSK 7, zg, 15 strokes, radical 心, rank #6270, Very Hard
憋
biē
to hold (one's breath)
HSK 7, zg, 15 strokes, radical 心, rank #6270, Very Hard
憋
biē
to stifle, to restrain, to choke; to suppress one's inner feelings
HSK 7, zg, 15 strokes, radical 心, rank #6270, Very Hard
biē(bie1) T1
1to choke
2to stifle
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March 24, 2026
憋biē(bie1)
The character 憋 (biē) conveys the meaning of restraining or holding back something, whether it's emotions, physical urges, or even breath. It is often used in contexts where one might feel pressure not to express themselves or to physically suppress a natural action, like holding in urine. This word can carry a connotation of discomfort due to the act of stifling.
Strokes15Radical心Frequency#6270DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the idea of holding back emotions is often linked to the concept of '面子' (face), where showing strong emotions can be seen as losing face. Thus, 憋 reflects both a physical and social aspect of restraint.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person named 'Bie' who is trying to hold their breath under water. The character 憋 has the heart radical (忄), suggesting emotional weight, while the other part implies physical restraint. Visualize 'Bie' turning blue from holding his breath too long to connect the sound and meaning.
Meanings of 憋
biē(bie1)
1to choke
2to stifle
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 憋
憋Simplified
15Strokes
心Radical
状态词zgav (stat.)Part of Speech
#6270Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2
Podcast: 憋
Podcast: 憋
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AI Study Notes for 憋
Quick Contrast
憋 (biē) vs 忍 (rěn) — use 憋 when emphasizing the physical act of holding back, whereas 忍 focuses more on enduring or tolerating discomfort.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 憋 with similar-sounding words that might convey different emotions or actions. It is more commonly used in informal speech, but can be appropriate in conversational contexts. Common collocations include '憋气' (to hold one's breath) and '憋屈' (to feel stifled).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 6 word, 憋 is a good example of vocabulary that depicts nuanced emotional and physical states. Students should focus on the contexts where it is used, especially in idiomatic expressions. Connecting this word with related terms like '压抑' (to suppress) will deepen understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 憋 with similar terms like '压抑' (yāyì), which specifically means to suppress feelings. A common mistake is saying '憋心' instead of '憋气' when referring to holding breath.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 憋
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Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 敝 represents the sound.
1The meaning half心 carries the sense.
2The sound half敝 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 憋? 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 憋?
Decomposition of 憋
IDS Structure⿱敝心
憋Full Character
=
敝bi4
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 憋?
How to say to choke in Chinese
“to choke” in Chinese is憋biē
The character 憋 (biē) conveys the meaning of restraining or holding back something, whether it's emotions, physical urges, or even breath. It is often used in contexts where one might feel pressure not to express themselves or to physically suppress a natural action, like holding in urine. This word can carry a connotation of discomfort due to the act of stifling.
When to use 憋
Be careful not to confuse 憋 with similar-sounding words that might convey different emotions or actions. It is more commonly used in informal speech, but can be appropriate in conversational contexts. Common collocations include '憋气' (to hold one's breath) and '憋屈' (to feel stifled).
憋 or something close to it
憋 (biē) vs 忍 (rěn) — use 憋 when emphasizing the physical act of holding back, whereas 忍 focuses more on enduring or tolerating discomfort.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 憋 with similar terms like '压抑' (yāyì), which specifically means to suppress feelings. A common mistake is saying '憋心' instead of '憋气' when referring to holding breath.
Write 憋
憋
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Practice writing 憋 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 憋
憋 carries 7 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
我得找人说说。我心里____不住。
I have to tell someone. I can't keep it to myself.
Example Sentences for 憋 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我得找人说说。我心里憋不住。
wǒ dé zhǎo rén shuō shuō。 。 wǒ xīn lǐ biē bù。
I have to tell someone. I can't keep it to myself.
2
把问题说出来，别都憋在心里。
bǎ wèn tí shuō chū lái， ， bié dū biē zài xīn。
Talk out your problems. Do not keep them bottled up.
