呗 meaning and stroke order
Final particle of an assertion
How to write 呗, stroke by stroke
7 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 呗
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to chant (from Sanskrit "pāṭhaka")
- modal particle indicating lack of enthusiasm
- modal particle indicating that things should only or can only be done a certain way
How 呗 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mouth.
口 gives the meaning and 贝 hints at the sound.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 呗
The mouth 口 on the left tells you this is a spoken sound, and 贝 (bèi) on the right gives the sound. Picture someone shrugging and saying "bei" out loud, as if to say "that's just how it is."
呗 (bei) is said in the neutral tone at the end of a sentence. It adds a shrug, either a lack of enthusiasm or a sense that there is only one obvious way to do something. Example: 不想去就别去呗。(Bù xiǎng qù jiù bié qù bei.) If you don't want to go, then just don't go.
Common mistake: Learners often read it with the fourth tone of 贝 (bèi), but as a particle it is toneless: bei. Also, 呗 can sound dismissive or impatient, so avoid it in polite or formal situations.
呗 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 呗
How many strokes are in 呗?
呗 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 呗 mean?
呗 (bei) means final particle of an assertion.
How do you pronounce 呗?
呗 is pronounced bei, in the neutral tone (short and light).
What is the radical of 呗?
The radical of 呗 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 呗 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 呗?
The traditional form of 呗 is 唄. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 呗 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 呗 and 吧?
吧 (ba) softens a suggestion or asks for agreement. 呗 (bei) sounds more matter-of-fact or resigned, as if the answer is obvious. 走吧 is "let's go," while 走呗 is closer to "just go, then."
What does 呗 mean when read bài?
Read bài, it means to chant, from Sanskrit Buddhist usage. It is a bound form that appears in words like 梵呗 (fànbài), Buddhist chanting. You will rarely meet it outside religious contexts.