匹 meaning and stroke order
(bound form) matching; comparable to; (bound form) alone; single; one of a pair; classifier for horses, mules etc (Taiwan pr. [pi1])
How to write 匹, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 匹
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) matching; comparable to
- (bound form) alone; single; one of a pair
- classifier for horses, mules etc (Taiwan pr. [pi1])
- classifier for cloth: bolt
- horsepower
- variant of 匹[pi3]
How 匹 is built
Pictographic character. A roll of cloth.
Radical: 匸 (box), shared by 8 characters on this site.
How to remember 匹
匹 is a picture of a roll of cloth. Picture the open box 匸 as the cloth wrapped around, with 儿 inside like the two loose ends of the bolt hanging down.
In everyday Chinese, 匹 is mostly a measure word for horses and other large animals like mules, and for bolts of cloth. It also appears in words about matching, such as 匹配 (pǐpèi) and 匹敌 (pǐdí). Example: 一匹马 (yì pǐ mǎ) one horse.
Common mistake: Learners often use 只 (zhī) or 个 (gè) for horses, but the standard measure word is 匹. Also do not confuse 匹 with 四 (sì), which is a fully closed box, while 匹 is open on the right side.
Common words with 匹
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
匹 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 匹
Learning 匹 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 匹
How many strokes are in 匹?
匹 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 匹 mean?
匹 (pǐ) means (bound form) matching; comparable to; (bound form) alone; single; one of a pair; classifier for horses, mules etc (Taiwan pr. [pi1]). A common word with it is 匹配 (pǐpèi), meaning "to mate or marry; to match".
How do you pronounce 匹?
匹 is pronounced pǐ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 匹?
The radical of 匹 is 匸, which carries the idea of "box". Dictionaries list 匹 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 匹?
The traditional form of 匹 is 疋. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 匹 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 匹 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 匹 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
Is 匹 pronounced pǐ or pī?
In mainland Mandarin it is pǐ, third tone, in all its uses. In Taiwan, the measure word for horses is often pronounced pī, first tone.
What does 单枪匹马 mean and when is it used?
单枪匹马 (dānqiāngpǐmǎ) literally means one spear and one horse. It describes doing something alone without help, like 他单枪匹马完成了这个项目 (tā dānqiāngpǐmǎ wánchéng le zhège xiàngmù), he finished this project single-handed.