撇 meaning and stroke order
To throw; to cast; left-slanting downward brush stroke (calligraphy)
How to write 撇, stroke by stroke
14 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
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
Meaning of 撇
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to throw
- to cast
- left-slanting downward brush stroke (calligraphy)
- to cast away
- to fling aside
How 撇 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 敝 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 撇
撇 is a hand 扌 next to 敝 (bì), which gives the sound. Picture your hand flinging something worn out aside, which is the idea of casting away.
Read piē, it means to fling aside or leave behind, as in 撇开 (piēkāi) and 撇下 (piēxia). Read piě, it names the left-falling stroke in writing and appears in 左撇子 (zuǒpiězi), a left-hander. Example: 他撇下家人走了。(Tā piēxia jiārén zǒu le.) He left his family behind and went away.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 撇 with 瞥 (piē, to glance), which has 目 at the bottom instead of 扌 on the left. Also watch the tone: 左撇子 uses third tone piě, while 撇开 and 撇下 use first tone piē.
Common words with 撇
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
撇 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 撇
How many strokes are in 撇?
撇 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 撇 mean?
撇 (piě) means to throw; to cast; left-slanting downward brush stroke (calligraphy). A common word with it is 左撇子 (zuǒpiězi), meaning "left-hander".
How do you pronounce 撇?
撇 has more than one reading: piě and piē. The most common is piě, said in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 撇?
The radical of 撇 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 撇 under this radical.
Is 撇 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 撇 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 撇嘴 mean?
撇嘴 (piězuǐ) means to curl or pout one's lips, usually to show disdain or that one is about to cry. It uses the third tone piě.
How do I say 'putting that aside' in a conversation?
You can say 撇开这个不说 (piēkāi zhège bù shuō), meaning setting this aside. It is a natural way to move past one point and talk about another.