編 meaning and stroke order
To knit, to weave; to arrange, to compile
How to write 編, 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 編
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to weave
- to plait
- to organize
- to group
- to arrange
- to edit
How 編 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
糹 gives the meaning and 扁 hints at the sound.
Radical: 糹 (silk), shared by 126 characters on this site.
How to remember 編
編 combines 糹 (silk thread) with 扁 (biǎn), which gives the sound. Picture threads being woven into a flat 扁 mat, and remember that arranging words is a kind of weaving too.
編 is the traditional form; mainland China writes 编. It covers physical weaving as well as organizing information, as in 编辑 (biānjí, to edit), 编号 (biānhào, serial number) and 主编 (zhǔbiān, editor in chief). Example: 她编了一个篮子。(Tā biān le yí ge lánzi.) She wove a basket.
Common mistake: Learners often read 編 as biǎn because of the phonetic 扁, but the tone is first tone: biān. Do not confuse it with 遍 (biàn, a time, all over) or 偏 (piān, slanted), which share the same 扁 part.
Common words with 編
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 編輯 | biānjí | to edit; to compile | HSK 5 |
| 編劇 | biānjù | to write a play; scenario | HSK 7-9 |
| 編號 | biānhào | to number; to assign numbers; serial number | HSK 7-9 |
| 改編 | gǎibiān | to adapt; to rearrange | HSK 7-9 |
| 編造 | biānzào | to compile; to draw up | HSK 7-9 |
| 主編 | zhǔbiān | editor in chief | HSK 7-9 |
| 編寫 | biānxiě | to compile | HSK 7-9 |
| 編排 | biānpái | to arrange; to lay out | HSK 7-9 |
| 郵編 | yóubiān | postal code; zip code | HSK 7-9 |
| 編織 | biānzhī | to weave; to knit; to plait; to braid; (fig.) to create (sth abstract, e.g. a dream, a lie | |
| 編碼 | biānmǎ | to code; to encode | |
| 編程 | biānchéng | (computing) to program; programming | |
| 瞎編 | xiābiān | to fabricate (a story) | |
| 編隊 | biānduì | to form into columns; to organize into teams |
Questions about 編
How many strokes are in 編?
編 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 編 mean?
編 (biān) means to knit, to weave; to arrange, to compile. A common word with it is 编辑 (biānjí), meaning "to edit; to compile".
How do you pronounce 編?
編 is pronounced biān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 編?
The radical of 編 is 糹, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 編 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 編?
編 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 编, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Can 编 mean to make something up or lie?
Yes. 编 can mean to invent a story, and 编造 (biānzào) often means to fabricate. 别编了 (bié biān le) means stop making things up.
What is the difference between 编写 and 编辑?
编写 (biānxiě) means to write or compile original material, like a textbook. 编辑 (biānjí) means to edit existing material, and it is also the word for an editor.