劈 meaning and stroke order
To hack; to chop; to split open
How to write 劈, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 劈
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to hack
- to chop
- to split open
- (of lightning) to strike
- to split in two
- to divide
How 劈 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Knife.
刀 gives the meaning and 辟 hints at the sound.
Radical: 刀 (knife), shared by 10 characters on this site.
How to remember 劈
劈 is a knife 刀 (dāo) under 辟 (pì), which gives the sound. Picture a knife coming down from above to split something open.
劈 (pī) is used for forceful chopping, like splitting wood or a melon, and also for lightning striking something. Example: 他用斧头劈开了木头。(Tā yòng fǔtóu pīkāi le mùtou.) He split the wood open with an axe.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 劈 with 避 (bì, to avoid) or 壁 (bì, wall), which share the 辟 part. Look at the bottom: only 劈 has the knife 刀.
Common words with 劈
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 劈开 | pīkāi | to cleave; to split open |
劈 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 劈
How many strokes are in 劈?
劈 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 劈 mean?
劈 (pī) means to hack; to chop; to split open. A common word with it is 劈开 (pīkāi), meaning "to cleave; to split open".
How do you pronounce 劈?
劈 is pronounced pī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 劈?
The radical of 劈 is 刀, which carries the idea of "knife". Dictionaries list 劈 under this radical.
Is 劈 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 劈 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
When is 劈 pronounced pǐ instead of pī?
Use pǐ when the meaning is to divide or split into parts, as in 劈叉 (pǐchà, to do the splits) or 劈柴 (pǐchái, to split firewood, also often heard as pīchái). For chopping with force or lightning striking, use pī.
How do you say struck by lightning with 劈?
You can say 被雷劈了 (bèi léi pī le), meaning struck by lightning. It is common in everyday speech and sometimes used jokingly, as in a curse or an oath.