憋 meaning and stroke order
To choke; to stifle; to restrain
How to write 憋, 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 憋
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to choke
- to stifle
- to restrain
- to hold back
- to hold in (urine)
- to hold (one's breath)
How 憋 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Heart.
心 gives the meaning and 敝 hints at the sound.
Radical: 心 (heart), shared by 97 characters on this site.
How to remember 憋
憋 puts 敝 (bì) on top of 心 (xīn, heart). Think of a heart pressed down under a heavy lid, so all its feelings are held in, while 敝 gives a hint of the sound.
憋 describes holding something in: breath, urine, words, or emotions. It often appears in 憋气 (biēqì) and in the pattern 憋不住 (biēbuzhù), meaning you can no longer hold it in. Example: 我憋不住笑了。 (Wǒ biēbuzhù xiào le.) I couldn't help laughing.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes read 憋 as bì because of its sound part 敝, but it is first tone biē. Do not confuse it with 弊 (bì, drawback) or 蔽 (bì, to cover), which share the same top part 敝.
Common words with 憋
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 憋不住 | biēbuzhù | to be unable to repress sth; to be unable to contain oneself | |
| 憋气 | biēqì | to hold one's breath; to feel suffocated (for lack of air) |
Questions about 憋
How many strokes are in 憋?
憋 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 憋 mean?
憋 (biē) means to choke; to stifle; to restrain. A common word with it is 憋不住 (biēbuzhù), meaning "to be unable to repress sth; to be unable to contain oneself".
How do you pronounce 憋?
憋 is pronounced biē, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 憋?
The radical of 憋 is 心, which carries the idea of "heart". Dictionaries list 憋 under this radical.
Is 憋 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 憋 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do you say holding in your pee or holding your breath with 憋?
Say 憋尿 (biē niào) for holding in urine and 憋气 (biēqì) for holding your breath. For example, 他在水下憋气一分钟 (tā zài shuǐ xià biēqì yì fēnzhōng) means he held his breath underwater for one minute.
What does 憋屈 mean?
憋屈 (biēqu) means feeling wronged and frustrated but unable to express it. It is a colloquial way to describe pent-up resentment, as in 我心里很憋屈 (wǒ xīnli hěn biēqu), I feel really frustrated inside.