彼 meaning and stroke order
That, those, the other
How to write 彼, stroke by stroke
8 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
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Meaning of 彼
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- that
- those
- (one) another
How 彼 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Step.
彳 gives the meaning and 皮 hints at the sound.
Radical: 彳 (to step with the left foot), shared by 42 characters on this site.
How to remember 彼
彼 combines 彳 (step) with 皮 (pí), which gives the sound. Picture taking a step over to the other side, toward "that" place over there, and let 皮 remind you of the similar sound bǐ.
彼 is a formal or literary word for "that" or "the other". In daily speech people say 那 (nà) instead, but 彼 lives on in set words like 彼此 and 彼岸. Example: 我们彼此帮助。(Wǒmen bǐcǐ bāngzhù.) We help each other.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 彼 with 被 (bèi, the passive marker), since both have 皮 on the right. 彼 has the step radical 彳 and is third tone, while 被 has the clothing radical 衤 and is fourth tone.
Common words with 彼
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
彼 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 彼
How many strokes are in 彼?
彼 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 彼 mean?
彼 (bǐ) means that, those, the other. A common word with it is 彼此 (bǐcǐ), meaning "each other; one another".
How do you pronounce 彼?
彼 is pronounced bǐ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 彼?
The radical of 彼 is 彳, which carries the idea of "to step with the left foot". Dictionaries list 彼 under this radical.
Is 彼 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 彼 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can I use 彼 instead of 那 in everyday conversation?
Not usually. On its own, 彼 sounds bookish or old-fashioned, so use 那 (nà) for "that" in normal speech. 彼 is natural mainly inside fixed words and idioms.
What does 彼此彼此 mean when someone says it?
It is a polite, modest reply meaning "you and me both" or "same to you". For example, if someone says you work hard, you can answer 彼此彼此 to return the compliment.