派 meaning and stroke order
(literary) tributary; branch of a river; clique; school; group; faction; (bound form) style; manner
How to write 派, stroke by stroke
9 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 派
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (literary) tributary; branch of a river
- clique; school; group; faction
- (bound form) style; manner
- to send (a person or resource); to dispatch; to allocate (a resource or task); to appoint (sb)
- classifier for factions, groups etc
- (preceded by 一[yi1]) classifier used in characterizing a scene, atmosphere, demeanor, sound, remark etc
- used in 派司[pa1 si5]
How 派 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 派
The water radical 氵 on the left shows the original idea of a river splitting into branches. Picture one river dividing into smaller streams, just as a group splits into factions, or a boss sends people out in different directions.
In everyday Chinese 派 most often means to send or assign someone, as in 派出 (pàichū) and 指派 (zhǐpài). It also means a school or faction, as in 派别 (pàibié), and appears in the loanword 派对 (pàiduì, party). Example: 公司派我去上海。(Gōngsī pài wǒ qù Shànghǎi.) The company sent me to Shanghai.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 派 with 脉 (mài, vein, pulse), which has a similar right side but the flesh radical 月 on the left. Keep the water radical 氵 in mind for 派, since it is about branching rivers and groups.
Common words with 派
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 派出 | pàichū | to send; to dispatch | HSK 6 |
| 派遣 | pàiqiǎn | to send (on a mission); to dispatch | HSK 7-9 |
| 气派 | qìpài | impressive; stylish | HSK 7-9 |
| 派别 | pàibié | group; sect; clique; faction; school | HSK 7-9 |
| 派对 | pàiduì | (loanword) party | |
| 帮派 | bāngpài | gang; faction | |
| 指派 | zhǐpài | to assign; to appoint | |
| 派上用场 | pàishàngyòngchǎng | to put to good use; to come in handy | |
| 正派 | zhèngpài | (of a person) upright; respectable; decent; (Tw) (of a business etc) reputable | |
| 一派胡言 | yīpàihúyán | a bunch of nonsense | |
| 派出所 | pàichūsuǒ | local police station | |
| 教派 | jiàopài | sect | |
| 党派 | dǎngpài | political party; faction | |
| 保守派 | bǎoshǒupài | conservative faction |
派 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 派
How many strokes are in 派?
派 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 派 mean?
派 (pài) means (literary) tributary; branch of a river; clique; school; group; faction; (bound form) style; manner. A common word with it is 派出 (pàichū), meaning "to send; to dispatch".
How do you pronounce 派?
派 is pronounced pài, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 派?
The radical of 派 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 派 under this radical.
Is 派 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 派 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What does 一派 mean before a description?
When 派 follows 一 (yī), it works as a classifier that sums up a whole scene or mood. For example, 一派繁荣 (yí pài fánróng) means a scene of prosperity everywhere.
What is the difference between 派 and 派遣?
Both mean to send, but 派 is short and used in daily speech. 派遣 (pàiqiǎn) is more formal and usually describes sending people on an official mission, such as troops or delegates.