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撇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
piēto cast awayHSK 7, zg, 14 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10347, Hard
piēto fling asideHSK 7, zg, 14 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10347, Hard
piēto throwHSK 7, zg, 14 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10347, Hard
piēto castHSK 7, zg, 14 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10347, Hard
piēleft-slanting downward brush stroke (calligraphy)HSK 7, zg, 14 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10347, Hard
piēto abandon, to discardHSK 7, zg, 14 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10347, Hard
piěto cast awayHSK 7, zg, 14 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10347, Hard
piěto fling asideHSK 7, zg, 14 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10347, Hard
piěto throwHSK 7, zg, 14 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10347, Hard
piěto castHSK 7, zg, 14 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10347, Hard
piěleft-slanting downward brush stroke (calligraphy)HSK 7, zg, 14 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10347, Hard
piěto abandon, to discardHSK 7, zg, 14 strokes, radical 扌, rank #10347, Hard
piě(pie3)
primary
T3
  1. 1to cast away
  2. 2to fling aside
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
piě(pie3)

The character 撇 (piē) primarily refers to the action of casting away or throwing something aside. In calligraphy, it specifically denotes a left-slanting downward brush stroke that is fundamental in forming various Chinese characters. This character can convey both physical actions of discarding and metaphorical senses of abandonment.

Strokes14RadicalFrequency#10347DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese calligraphy, the 撇 stroke is essential for creating many characters and is often seen as embodying grace and fluidity. Mastering this stroke is considered a rite of passage for calligraphy students, reflecting patience and skill.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person casting away a piece of trash with a sweeping motion, where that sweeping motion resembles the left-slanting stroke of 撇. The sound 'piē' can be remembered as someone saying 'pee, eh!' in surprise as they throw something away.

Meanings of 撇

piě(pie3)
primary
1to cast away
2to fling aside
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 撇

Simplified
14Strokes
Radical
状态词zgnv (stat.)Part of Speech
#10347Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 撇

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AI Study Notes for 撇

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person casting away a piece of trash with a sweeping motion, where that sweeping motion resembles the left-slanting stroke of 撇. The sound 'piē' can be remembered as someone saying 'pee, eh!' in surprise as they throw something away.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 撇 with similar characters that involve downward strokes. It is more commonly used in informal contexts, but can also appear in formal writing, especially in calligraphy. Be careful with the tone; 'piē' must be pronounced with the first tone for correct meaning.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 撇 connects to advanced vocabulary regarding actions and descriptions in both literary and colloquial contexts. Focus on its application in phrases and idioms related to abandonment or disposal to enhance understanding.

Cultural Note

In Chinese calligraphy, the 撇 stroke is essential for creating many characters and is often seen as embodying grace and fluidity. Mastering this stroke is considered a rite of passage for calligraphy students, reflecting patience and skill.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 撇 with other brush strokes such as 捺, leading to incorrect writing of characters. For example, writing '撇' as '捺' changes the meaning entirely; ensure you practice the correct stroke order.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 撇

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Etymology of 撇

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

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 敝 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hand

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 撇?

Decomposition of 撇

IDS Structure⿰扌敝
Full Character
=
shou3
left
bi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 撇?

Write 撇

Practice writing 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 撇

撇 carries 6 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 5

Complete the Sentence

我注意到她是个左____子。

I noticed she was left-handed.

Example Sentences for 撇 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我注意到她是个左撇子。

wǒ zhù yì dào tā shì gè zuǒ piē zǐ。

I noticed she was left-handed.
2
他未能干净利落地同那起攻击事件撇清关系。

tā wèi néng gān jìng lì luò dì tóng nà qǐ gōng jī shì jiàn piē qīng guān xì。

He has failed to dissociate himself clearly and unambiguously from the attack.
3
是撇开旧偏见的时候了.

shì piē kāi jiù piān jiàn de shí hòu le.

It is the time we lay aside old prejudices.
4
撇开那些情绪化的争论不谈,下面只说客观事实。

piē kāi nà xiē qíng xù huà de zhēng lùn bù tán, , xià miàn zhī shuō kè guān shì。

Emotional arguments aside, here are the facts.
5
撇开一些小事不谈, 我对这结果很满意.

piē kāi yī xiē xiǎo shì bù tán, , wǒ duì zhè jié guǒ hěn mǎn.

A few little things apart, I am very pleased with the result.
6
他乜斜着眼睛,撇了撇嘴.

tā miē xié zháo yǎn jīng, , piē le piē.

He squinted with his mouth twitched.
7
他把一块石头撇到海里.

tā bǎ yī kuài shí tóu piē dào hǎi lǐ.

He flung a stone into the sea.
8
在作出关键决定时,法国不想再被撇在一边了。

zài zuò chū guān jiàn jué dìng shí, , fǎ guó bù xiǎng zài bèi piē zài yī biān。

France no longer wants to be left on the sidelines when critical decisions are taken.
9
他们正在想办法撇清他同这项重大决策的关系。

tā mén zhèng zài xiǎng bàn fǎ piē qīng tā tóng zhè xiàng zhòng dà jué cè de guān xì。

They are looking at ways to disentangle him from this major policy decision.
10
it's(带撇号)只能用作itis的缩约形式。

it's( it's( dài piē) hào ) zhī néngitis yòng zuò itis de suō。

"It's" (with an apostrophe) should be used only as a contraction for "it is".

Cultural Notes for 撇

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese calligraphy, the 撇 stroke is essential for creating many characters and is often seen as embodying grace and fluidity. Mastering this stroke is considered a rite of passage for calligraphy students, reflecting patience and skill.

Word Family of 撇

Words Containing This Character6
piěto throw
左撇子left-handed
撇开to disregard撇開
撇下to cast away
撇嘴to curl one's lip
八字没一撇no sign of success yet八字沒一撇
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 撇 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 撇

撇 refers specifically to the action of throwing or discarding something, while 捨 (shě) emphasizes the act of letting go or abandoning something more emotionally.