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March 24, 2026
皮pí(Pi2)
The character 皮 (pí) primarily refers to skin, leather, or fur. It is commonly used in contexts related to animal hides or the outer covering of living beings, and can also denote someone who is mischievous or naughty. In a broader sense, it can be used in scientific contexts, such as referring to the prefix 'pico-' in measurements.
Strokes5Radical皮Frequency#1314DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of skin (皮) is significant as it is believed to be connected to one's overall health and vitality. The quality of a person's skin can reflect their internal health, which is a common belief in Chinese culture.
Memory tip
Imagine a playful dog with a shiny coat of leather. The dog’s fur is soft, just like skin, and '皮' sounds like 'pee' which reminds you of a naughty puppy getting into trouble. Visualize the puppy wearing a leather collar that represents the word '皮' and its connection to skin and fur.
Meanings of 皮
pí(Pi2)
1leather
2skin
Exercise 1 of 3
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About 皮
皮Simplified
5Strokes
皮Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#1314Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2
Podcast: 皮
Podcast: 皮
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AI study notes for 皮
Quick Contrast
皮 (pí) vs 毛 (máo) — use 皮 for skin or leather, while 毛 refers specifically to hair or fur.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 皮 with similar-sounding characters. It is generally informal and not used in very formal writing. Common collocations include 皮肤 (pífū - skin) and 皮革 (pígé - leather). Make sure to use the correct tone to avoid misunderstandings.
HSK Study Tips
While 皮 is not listed in the official HSK levels, it can be connected to other body-related terms like 身体 (shēntǐ - body) at HSK 2. Focus on recognizing how this character can be combined with others to form new words.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 皮 with its homophones, mistakenly using it in contexts related to other body parts. For example, saying 皮肉 (píròu - skin meat) instead of 肉 (ròu - meat) can lead to confusion. Always use 皮 specifically for skin or leather contexts.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 皮
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Learning Lab
Knowing 皮 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.
The character 皮 (pí) primarily refers to skin, leather, or fur. It is commonly used in contexts related to animal hides or the outer covering of living beings, and can also denote someone who is mischievous or naughty. In a broader sense, it can be used in scientific contexts, such as referring to the prefix 'pico-' in measurements.
When to use 皮
Be careful not to confuse 皮 with similar-sounding characters. It is generally informal and not used in very formal writing. Common collocations include 皮肤 (pífū - skin) and 皮革 (pígé - leather). Make sure to use the correct tone to avoid misunderstandings.
皮 or something close to it
皮 (pí) vs 毛 (máo) — use 皮 for skin or leather, while 毛 refers specifically to hair or fur.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 皮 with its homophones, mistakenly using it in contexts related to other body parts. For example, saying 皮肉 (píròu - skin meat) instead of 肉 (ròu - meat) can lead to confusion. Always use 皮 specifically for skin or leather contexts.
Write 皮
皮
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Grammar patterns of 皮
皮 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 7 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.
Ms. Pi is not only a successful entrepreneur but also a philanthropist.
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Cultural Notes for 皮
💡Did you know?
In traditional Chinese medicine, the skin is viewed as a reflection of the body's internal health. Practitioners believe that skin conditions can indicate issues with organs like the lungs and kidneys.
Word Family of 皮
Compounds53
被bèiquilt
破pòbroken
波bōPoland
彼bǐthat
玻bōglass
疲píweary
披pīto drape over one's shoulders
坡pōslope
皱zhòuto wrinkle
颇pōsurname Po
簸bǒto winnow
跛bǒlame
铍pīberyllium
皴cūnchapped, cracked
皲jūnchapped, cracked
帔pèicape, robe, skirt
狓pí
皻cǔpimples, blotches
皽zhāo
诐bì
陂bēidam, embankment; reservoir
髲bì
鲏pí
佊bǐ
岥pō
怶bì
旇pī
柀bǐ
皯gǎn
皰pàoacne
皳qiú
皵què
皶zhā
皷gǔ
皸jūn
皹jūn
皺zhòuwrinkles, creases, folds
皼gǔ
皾dú
秛pī
紴bō
翍pī
耚pī
蚾pí
詖bì
貱bì
鈹pī
鞁bèi
頗pōrather, quite; partial, biased
駊pǒ
骳bèi
鮍pī
麬fū
Words containing this character20
皮pískin
皮肤pífūskin皮膚
皮带pídàistrap皮帶
眼皮yǎnpíeyelid
皮鞋píxiéleather shoes
皮质pízhìcortex皮質
调皮tiáopínaughty調皮
真皮zhēnpídermis (layer within the skin containing sense of touch)
皮革pígéleather
上皮shàngpíepithelium
牛皮niúpícowhide
皮包píbāohandbag
内皮nèipí(med.) endothelium內皮
皮球píqiúball (made of rubber, leather etc)
头皮tóupíscalp頭皮
表皮biǎopíepidermis
鸡皮疙瘩jīpígēdagoose pimples雞皮疙瘩
肚皮dùpíbelly
橡皮xiàngpírubber
皮疹pízhěna rash
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 皮
What does 被 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 皮
皮 (pí) refers to 'skin' or 'fur,' while 皮毛 (pímáo) specifically means 'fur' or 'hair' of an animal. In other words, 皮 is a broader term that encompasses the outer layer of various organisms, while 皮毛 is more focused on animal covering.
Yes, 皮 (pí) can also be a surname in Chinese culture. It's not as common as some other surnames, but it is officially recognized and used by some individuals.
皮 (pí) primarily means 'skin' or 'fur' in Chinese. It can also refer to the concept of something being 'naughty' or mischievous. Additionally, it's used in specific contexts like measuring in the metric system, where it can denote pico- (one trillionth).
To use 皮 (pí) in a sentence, you might say '这件衣服是皮的' (zhè jiàn yīfú shì pí de), meaning 'This piece of clothing is made of leather.' It can also appear in phrases like '皮肤' (pífū), which means 'skin.'
Some common phrases include 皮肤 (pífū - skin) and 皮革 (pígé - leather).
No, it can also imply a playful or naughty character when describing someone's behavior.
It is pronounced as 'pí' with a rising tone.
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