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挨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
挨āiin orderHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨āiin sequenceHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨āiclose toHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨āiadjacent toHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨āito sufferHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨āito endureHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨āito pull through (hard times)HSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨āito delayHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨āito stallHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨āito play for timeHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨āito dawdleHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨āiclose by, near, next to, towards, against; to lean on; to waitHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨áiin orderHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨áiin sequenceHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨áiclose toHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨áiadjacent toHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨áito sufferHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨áito endureHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨áito pull through (hard times)HSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨áito delayHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨áito stallHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨áito play for timeHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨áito dawdleHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
挨áiclose by, near, next to, towards, against; to lean on; to waitHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #5027, Very Hard
āi(ai1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1in order
  2. 2in sequence
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

挨āi(ai1)

The character 挨 (āi) signifies a range of meanings primarily related to closeness or endurance. It can refer to physical proximity, as in 'next to' or 'adjacent to,' as well as emotional or situational endurance, like 'to suffer' or 'to endure.' This versatility makes it applicable in various contexts, from describing locations to discussing personal challenges.

Strokes10Radical扌Frequency#5027DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of enduring hardship is highly valued, often reflected in sayings and proverbs. The character 挨 encapsulates this notion, emphasizing resilience in the face of challenges, which is a common theme in traditional Chinese literature and philosophy.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person leaning against a wall, waiting patiently while enduring the discomfort of standing still. The character 挨 resembles a person leaning (the left part) against something, while the right part suggests a sequence of events, tying the idea of endurance and proximity together. The sound 'āi' can be remembered by associating it with 'I' as in 'I endure' or 'I wait'.

Meanings of 挨

āi(ai1)
primary
1in order
2in sequence
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 挨

挨Simplified
10Strokes
扌Radical
介词jiècípreposition (prep.)Part of Speech
#5027Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 挨

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Podcast: 挨

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AI Study Notes for 挨

Quick Contrast

靠 (kào, to lean against) — use 挨 when emphasizing endurance or suffering, while 靠 focuses on physical support or proximity.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 挨 with other similar-sounding characters, like '爱' (love) or '矮' (short). It is used in both formal and informal contexts, but pay attention to the tone when speaking, as mispronunciation can lead to misunderstandings. Common collocations include 挨着 (to lean against) and 挨骂 (to be scolded).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 挨 connects with other advanced vocabulary related to emotions and physical states. Students should practice its various contexts, especially in phrases that involve endurance or proximity, to fully grasp its nuances and applications in conversation.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly associate 挨 strictly with physical closeness, neglecting its emotional connotations like suffering or enduring. For example, saying '我挨着他' (I am next to him) without context may lead to confusion about its emotional implications.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 挨

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Etymology of 挨

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

hand

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 挨

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half矣 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhand
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 挨? 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 挨?

Decomposition of 挨

IDS Structure⿰扌矣
挨Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
矣yi3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 挨?

How to say in order in Chinese

“in order” in Chinese is挨āi

The character 挨 (āi) signifies a range of meanings primarily related to closeness or endurance. It can refer to physical proximity, as in 'next to' or 'adjacent to,' as well as emotional or situational endurance, like 'to suffer' or 'to endure.' This versatility makes it applicable in various contexts, from describing locations to discussing personal challenges.

When to use 挨

Learners often confuse 挨 with other similar-sounding characters, like '爱' (love) or '矮' (short). It is used in both formal and informal contexts, but pay attention to the tone when speaking, as mispronunciation can lead to misunderstandings. Common collocations include 挨着 (to lean against) and 挨骂 (to be scolded).

挨 or something close to it

靠 (kào, to lean against) — use 挨 when emphasizing endurance or suffering, while 靠 focuses on physical support or proximity.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly associate 挨 strictly with physical closeness, neglecting its emotional connotations like suffering or enduring. For example, saying '我挨着他' (I am next to him) without context may lead to confusion about its emotional implications.

Write 挨

挨

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 挨

挨 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 12 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

有人给我们作了介绍，我____着他坐下了。

Someone introduced us and I sat next to him.

Example Sentences for 挨 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
有人给我们作了介绍，我挨着他坐下了。

yǒu rén gěi wǒ mén zuò le jiè shào， ， wǒ āi zháo tā zuò xià。

Someone introduced us and I sat next to him.
2
我笨手笨脚的，总挨训。

wǒ bèn shǒu bèn jiǎo de， ， zǒng āi。

I'm always being told off for being so awkward.
3
萨米紧挨着内德站着，两人谈兴正浓。

sà mǐ jǐn āi zháo nèi dé zhàn zháo， ， liǎng rén tán xīng zhèng。

Sammy was standing close to Ned, talking animatedly with him.
4
看到一张张忍饥挨饿的孩子们的照片，许多人赶忙捐钱。

kàn dào yī zhāng zhāng rěn jī āi è de hái zǐ mén de zhào piàn， ， xǔ duō rén gǎn máng juān。

Pictures of starving children have sent many people scurrying to donate money.
5
在这些地方，人们忍饥挨饿，遭受鞭打，甚至会被乱棍打死。

zài zhè xiē dì fāng， ， rén mén rěn jī āi， è ， zāo shòu， biān dǎ ， shèn zhì huì bèi luàn。

In these places people starved, were flogged, were clubbed to death.
6
挨打前坎坦科的视力就一直很弱，不过也还勉强看得见。

āi dǎ qián kǎn tǎn kē de shì lì jiù yī zhí hěn ruò， ， bù guò yě huán miǎn qiáng kàn dé。

Until the beating, Cantanco's eyesight had been weak, but adequate.
7
他老挨罚,都皮了.

tā lǎo āi fá, , dū pí.

He gets punished so often that he no longer cares.
8
陈老七是站在最前, 已经挨了几棍子.

chén lǎo qī shì zhàn zài zuì qián, , yǐ jīng āi le jī gùn.

In the front ranks, Old Chen was struck several times.
9
时光一分一分地挨过去, 他又越来越担心自己会醒得太早.

shí guāng yī fēn yī fēn dì āi guò qù, , tā yòu yuè lái yuè dān xīn zì jǐ huì xǐng dé tài.

As minutes dragged on, more and more he worried about waking early.
10
“是的，”他笑着紧挨黛比坐下。

“ “ shì，” de ，” tā xiào zháo jǐn āi dài bǐ。

"Yes," he laughs, cuddling up to Debbie.

Cultural Notes for 挨

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

The concept of enduring hardships is often celebrated in both cultures, but in Western contexts, there may be more emphasis on overcoming challenges through action rather than endurance alone.

Word Family of 挨

Words Containing This Character20
挨āiin order
挨打áidǎto take a beating
挨饿to go hungry挨餓
挨着āizhenear挨著
挨揍to be beaten
挨个one by one挨個
挨家挨户āijiāāihùto go from house to house挨家挨戶
挨骂to receive a scolding挨罵
挨批to be criticized
挨近to approach
挨个儿one by one挨個兒
忍饥挨饿rěnjīáièstarving忍飢挨餓
挨家from house to house, one by one
挨户from house to house, one by one挨戶
挨整to be the target of an attack
挨斗denounced挨鬥
挨门挨户to go from house to house挨門挨戶
挨次in sequence
挨打受骂to suffer beatings and receive abuse (idiom)挨打受罵
挨门from door to door, one by one挨門
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 挨 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 挨

Common phrases include '挨骂' (to be scolded) and '挨着' (to lean against).

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