边 meaning and stroke order
Side; edge; margin
How to write 边, stroke by stroke
5 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
Meaning of 边
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- side
- edge
- margin
- border
- boundary
- simultaneously
- suffix of a noun of locality
How 边 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Walk.
辶 gives the meaning and 臱 hints at the sound.
Radical: 辶 (to walk), shared by 131 characters on this site.
How to remember 边
边 is made of 辶 (walk) and 力 (strength). Picture yourself using all your strength to walk until you reach the edge or border of the land.
边 (biān) is very common for locations and sides, often as a suffix in a neutral tone, as in 左边 (zuǒbian) and 里边 (lǐbian). The pattern 一边...一边... means doing two things at the same time. Example: 我一边吃饭一边看电视。(Wǒ yībiān chīfàn yībiān kàn diànshì.) I watch TV while I eat.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 刀 instead of 力 inside 边. The 力 stroke pokes out at the top, while 刀 does not. As a location suffix in words like 左边 and 外边, 边 is usually read in the neutral tone (bian), not the full first tone.
Common words with 边
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 那边 | nàbiān | over there; yonder | HSK 1 |
| 这边 | zhèbiān | this side; here | HSK 1 |
| 一边 | yībiān | one side; either side | HSK 1 |
| 旁边 | pángbiān | side; adjacent place | HSK 1 |
| 左边 | zuǒbian | left; the left side | HSK 1 |
| 右边 | yòubian | right side; right, to the right | HSK 1 |
| 里边 | lǐbian | inside | HSK 1 |
| 北边 | běibian | north; north side | HSK 1 |
| 外边 | wàibian | outside; outer surface | HSK 1 |
| 南边 | nánbian | south; south side | HSK 1 |
| 东边 | dōngbian | east; east side | HSK 1 |
| 西边 | xībian | west; west side | HSK 1 |
| 后边 | hòubian | the back; the rear; the last bit; behind; near the end; at the back | HSK 1 |
| 上边 | shàngbian | the top; above | HSK 1 |
边 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 边
How many strokes are in 边?
边 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 边 mean?
边 (biān) means side; edge; margin. A common word with it is 那边 (nàbiān), meaning "over there; yonder".
How do you pronounce 边?
边 is pronounced biān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 边?
The radical of 边 is 辶, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 边 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 边?
The traditional form of 边 is 邊. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 边 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 边 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 边 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 旁边 and 边?
旁边 (pángbiān) means next to or beside, as in 银行旁边 (next to the bank). 边 alone usually needs to attach to another word, such as 这边, 东边, or 河边 (riverside).
Can I use 边 instead of 面 in location words?
Often yes. 左边 and 左面, 里边 and 里面 mean the same thing. 边 sounds slightly more casual and is very common in spoken Mandarin, but some words only use one form, like 旁边, which has no 旁面 version.