笨 meaning and stroke order
Stupid; foolish; silly
How to write 笨, stroke by stroke
11 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
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- 11
Meaning of 笨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- stupid
- foolish
- silly
- slow-witted
- clumsy
How 笨 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Bamboo.
⺮ gives the meaning and 本 hints at the sound.
Radical: ⺮ (bamboo), shared by 149 characters on this site.
How to remember 笨
笨 is bamboo ⺮ on top of 本 (běn), which gives the sound. Picture someone trying to carve a book 本 out of thick bamboo with their bare hands: slow, clumsy work that makes them look a bit 笨.
笨 describes people who are slow-witted or clumsy, and also objects that are bulky, as in 笨重 (bènzhòng). Between friends it is often playful, especially in 笨蛋 (bèndàn). Example: 我真笨，又忘了带钥匙。 (Wǒ zhēn bèn, yòu wàng le dài yàoshi.) I'm so silly, I forgot my keys again.
Common mistake: Learners often give 笨 (bèn) the third tone of its sound part 本 (běn). 笨 is fourth tone. Also do not drop the bamboo top, or you are writing 本 (book, root) instead.
Common words with 笨
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
笨 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 笨
How many strokes are in 笨?
笨 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 笨 mean?
笨 (bèn) means stupid; foolish; silly. A common word with it is 笨蛋 (bèndàn), meaning "(mild insult) fool; idiot; (playful) silly person".
How do you pronounce 笨?
笨 is pronounced bèn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 笨?
The radical of 笨 is ⺮, which carries the idea of "bamboo". Dictionaries list 笨 under this radical.
Is 笨 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 笨 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 笨 and 傻 (shǎ)?
笨 suggests slow learning or clumsiness, like being bad at math or dropping things. 傻 suggests naive, silly, or senseless behavior. Both can be affectionate between close friends.
Is calling someone 笨蛋 rude?
It depends on tone and relationship. To a stranger it is an insult, but between couples or friends it is often teasing, close to "silly" or "dummy" in English.