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March 24, 2026
朋péng(peng2)
The character 朋 (péng) means 'friend' or 'pal' in Mandarin. It is commonly used to refer to a close companion or acquaintance, and is often found in phrases related to friendship and social relationships. This character emphasizes the importance of camaraderie in Chinese culture.
Strokes8Radical月Frequency#9779DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of friendship is highly valued, and the character 朋 reflects the deep bonds that can form between individuals. Friendship plays a significant role in social networks and support systems within Chinese society.
Memory Tip
Imagine two moons (月) side by side, representing friendship. The character 朋 is composed of two 月 (yuè) characters, symbolizing that just like the two moons, friends share light and support each other.
Meanings of 朋
péng(peng2)
1friend
2friend, pal, acquaintance
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 朋
朋Simplified
8Strokes
月Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#9779Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1
Podcast: 朋
Podcast: 朋
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AI Study Notes for 朋
Quick Contrast
友 (yǒu) vs 朋友 (péngyǒu): Use 朋 when referring to a close companion, while 友 can be more general and may not imply closeness.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine two moons (月) side by side, representing friendship. The character 朋 is composed of two 月 (yuè) characters, symbolizing that just like the two moons, friends share light and support each other.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 朋 (péng) with 朋友 (péngyǒu), which specifically means 'friend' in a more general sense. Use 朋 in informal contexts, often among younger speakers, while 朋友 may be more formal. Remember that tone is crucial; mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.
HSK Study Tips
While 朋 is not officially listed in HSK levels, it connects well with HSK 1 vocabulary like 你 (nǐ, you) and 我 (wǒ, I), as it can help create simple sentences about friendships. Focus on practicing its pronunciation and usage in everyday conversations.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of friendship is highly valued, and the character 朋 reflects the deep bonds that can form between individuals. Friendship plays a significant role in social networks and support systems within Chinese society.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 朋 in formal contexts, but it is best used informally. For example, saying '我有一个朋' instead of '我有一个朋友' (I have a friend) is incorrect; use 朋友 for formal situations.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 朋
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Pictograph of two strings of objects mounted together. Originally meant "pair", later the meaning shifted to "friend". The modern form is visually similar to 月 (moon) but the meaning is not related.
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Grammar Patterns of 朋
朋 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 2 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.
Friends passed the word that the miners wanted to see him.
10
他对女朋友一直非常刻薄。
tā duì nǚ péng yǒu yī zhí fēi cháng kè báo。
He had been behaving very meanly to his girlfriend.
Cultural Notes for 朋
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of friendship is highly valued, and the character 朋 reflects the deep bonds that can form between individuals. Friendship plays a significant role in social networks and support systems within Chinese society.
Word Family of 朋
Compounds20
崩beng1to collapse
棚peng2shack, shed; tent, awning
绷beng1to bind, to strap, to draw firm
鹏Peng2fabulous bird of enormous size
硼peng2borax, boron
堋peng2to bury
弸
掤
淜
痭
輣
鬅
倗
奟
焩
稝
綳
萠meng2bud, sprout
錋
鵬peng2fabulous bird of enormous size
Words Containing This Character20
朋友péngyoufriend
女朋友nǚpéngyougirlfriend
男朋友nánpéngyouboyfriend
小朋友xiǎopéngyǒuchild
好朋友good friend
老朋友lǎopéngyouold friend
朋péngfriend
亲朋好友qīnpénghǎoyǒufriends and family親朋好友
交朋友jiāopéngyouto make friends
亲朋relatives and friends親朋
狐朋狗友a pack of rogues (idiom); a gang of scoundrels
够朋友(coll.) to be a true friend夠朋友
高朋满座surrounded by distinguished friends (idiom); in company高朋滿座
宾朋guests賓朋
酒肉朋友lit. drinking buddy (idiom)
朋党clique朋黨
朋克punk (music style) (loanword)
硕大无朋immense碩大無朋
欧朋Opera (web browser)歐朋
宾朋满座guests filled all the seats (idiom); a house full of distinguished visitors賓朋滿座
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 崩 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 朋
朋 specifically refers to a friend or pal, while 朋友 is a more general term for 'friend' and can imply a broader range of relationships.
You can say, '我有很多朋友和朋,' which means 'I have many friends and pals.'
No, 朋 is generally informal and best suited for casual conversation.
