辨 meaning and stroke order
To recognize, to distinguish, to discriminate
How to write 辨, stroke by stroke
16 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 辨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to distinguish
- to recognize
How 辨 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To separate 刂 two alternatives 辛.
Radical: 辛 (bitter), shared by 11 characters on this site.
How to remember 辨
Picture a knife 刂 standing between two 辛 (xīn) on either side, cutting them apart so you can tell one from the other. Separating two alternatives is what it means to distinguish, 辨 (biàn).
辨 is mostly used in compound words like 分辨 (fēnbiàn), 辨认 (biànrèn) and 辨别 (biànbié), and it rarely stands alone in speech. Example: 我分不清这对双胞胎。我辨认不出谁是哥哥。(Wǒ fēn bù qīng zhè duì shuāngbāotāi. Wǒ biànrèn bù chū shéi shì gēge.) I can't tell these twins apart. I can't recognize which one is the older brother.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 辨 (biàn, distinguish, with 刂 knife in the middle) with 辩 (biàn, to argue, with 讠 speech in the middle) and 辫 (biàn, braid, with 纟 silk). Since all three sound the same, check the middle part: a knife separates, words argue, threads braid.
Common words with 辨
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
辨 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 辨
How many strokes are in 辨?
辨 is written with 16 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 辨 mean?
辨 (biàn) means to recognize, to distinguish, to discriminate. A common word with it is 分辨 (fēnbiàn), meaning "to distinguish; to differentiate; to resolve".
How do you pronounce 辨?
辨 is pronounced biàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 辨?
The radical of 辨 is 辛, which carries the idea of "bitter". Dictionaries list 辨 under this radical.
Is 辨 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 辨 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 辨别 and 辨认?
辨别 (biànbié) means to tell things apart, such as right from wrong or real from fake. 辨认 (biànrèn) means to identify or recognize a specific thing, such as a face or handwriting.
Is 辨 the same as 分 in 分辨?
Both parts carry the idea of separating, and together 分辨 (fēnbiàn) means to distinguish or tell apart. 分 alone is a much broader word meaning to divide or share, while 辨 focuses on judging differences.