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擗 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
擗pǐto beat the breastx, 16 strokes, radical 扌, rank #78360, Very Hard
pǐ(pi3) T3
  1. 1to beat the breast
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March 24, 2026

擗pǐ(pi3)

The character 擗 (pǐ) means 'to beat the breast,' which is often associated with expressing grief or remorse. This action is commonly seen in traditional Chinese mourning practices, where individuals might beat their chests as a sign of deep sorrow. Its usage is mostly formal and related to cultural or historical contexts.

Strokes16Radical扌Frequency#78360DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, beating the breast is a significant gesture during mourning, often seen in funerals or memorials. This physical expression of grief is deeply rooted in rituals and showcases the importance of emotional expression in Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine someone in a dramatic scene, beating their chest in despair. The character 擗 has a hand (扌) component, suggesting the action of beating, and the rest of the character resembles a heart, symbolizing the emotional aspect of grief.

Meanings of 擗

pǐ(pi3)
1to beat the breast
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 擗

擗Simplified
16Strokes
扌Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 擗

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AI Study Notes for 擗

Usage Notes

Be mindful that this word is rarely used in everyday conversation and typically appears in literary or formal contexts. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding characters that do not relate to grief, such as '披' (pī), which means 'to drape' or 'to spread.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 擗 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be related to other words that express emotional actions, such as 哭 (kū, to cry) or 悲 (bēi, sorrow). Students should focus on understanding the context in which such emotive actions are expressed in Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is to use 擗 as a synonym for everyday expressions of sadness or anger, which can lead to confusion. For example, saying '我擗了' (Wǒ pǐ le) to mean 'I am sad' is incorrect; instead, use '我很伤心' (Wǒ hěn shāngxīn).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 擗

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Etymology of 擗

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

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
+
Phonetic (sound)辟
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

擗 = 扌 + 辟. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 擗

IDS Structure⿰扌辟
擗Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
辟bi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 擗?

How to say to beat the breast in Chinese

“to beat the breast” in Chinese is擗pǐ

The character 擗 (pǐ) means 'to beat the breast,' which is often associated with expressing grief or remorse. This action is commonly seen in traditional Chinese mourning practices, where individuals might beat their chests as a sign of deep sorrow. Its usage is mostly formal and related to cultural or historical contexts.

When to use 擗

Be mindful that this word is rarely used in everyday conversation and typically appears in literary or formal contexts. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding characters that do not relate to grief, such as '披' (pī), which means 'to drape' or 'to spread.'

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is to use 擗 as a synonym for everyday expressions of sadness or anger, which can lead to confusion. For example, saying '我擗了' (Wǒ pǐ le) to mean 'I am sad' is incorrect; instead, use '我很伤心' (Wǒ hěn shāngxīn).

Write 擗

擗

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

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Word Family of 擗

Words Containing This Character1
擗pǐto beat the breast

Frequently Asked Questions about 擗

You should use 擗 in formal or literary contexts, particularly when discussing themes of grief or remorse.

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