配 meaning and stroke order
To join; to fit; to mate
How to write 配, stroke by stroke
10 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
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Meaning of 配
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to join
- to fit
- to mate
- to mix
- to match
- to deserve
How 配 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Wine.
酉 gives the meaning and 己 hints at the sound.
Radical: 酉 (wine), shared by 67 characters on this site.
How to remember 配
配 has 酉, a wine jar, on the left and 己 on the right as the sound part. Picture mixing wine in a jar so the flavors match well together, which gives the ideas of blending and matching.
配 often means to match or go well with something, and it appears in many compounds like 搭配 (dāpèi) and 配合 (pèihé). It can also mean to deserve, often in the pattern 配 + verb or noun. Example: 这件衣服很配你。(Zhè jiàn yīfu hěn pèi nǐ.) This piece of clothing really suits you.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write the right side as 已 or 巳 instead of 己. In 配 the last stroke of 己 stays open at the top left and does not close up. Also, 配 is fourth tone (pèi), not first tone like 杯 (bēi).
Common words with 配
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 配合 | pèihé | matching; fitting in with | HSK 3 |
| 分配 | fēnpèi | to distribute; to assign | HSK 3 |
| 支配 | zhīpèi | to control; to dominate | HSK 5 |
| 配备 | pèibèi | to allocate; to provide | HSK 5 |
| 配套 | pèitào | to form a complete set; compatible | HSK 5 |
| 搭配 | dāpèi | to pair up; to match | HSK 6 |
| 配置 | pèizhì | to deploy; to allocate | HSK 6 |
| 匹配 | pǐpèi | to mate or marry; to match | HSK 7-9 |
| 配偶 | pèi'ǒu | spouse | HSK 7-9 |
| 配音 | pèiyīn | dubbing (filmmaking) | HSK 7-9 |
| 配件 | pèijiàn | component; part | HSK 7-9 |
| 配送 | pèisòng | to put together an order and deliver it (i.e. 配貨|配货[pei4 huo4] and 送貨|送货[song4 huo4]); to | HSK 7-9 |
| 配方 | pèifāng | prescription; cooking recipe | |
| 交配 | jiāopèi | mating; copulation (esp. of animals) |
配 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 配
How many strokes are in 配?
配 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 配 mean?
配 (pèi) means to join; to fit; to mate. A common word with it is 配合 (pèihé), meaning "matching; fitting in with".
How do you pronounce 配?
配 is pronounced pèi, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 配?
The radical of 配 is 酉, which carries the idea of "wine". Dictionaries list 配 under this radical.
Is 配 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 配 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.
How do you say someone does not deserve something with 配?
Use 不配 (bú pèi), as in 他不配当老师。(Tā bú pèi dāng lǎoshī.) He does not deserve to be a teacher. It is quite strong and can sound insulting.
What is the difference between 配合 and 搭配?
配合 (pèihé) usually means people cooperating or working in coordination, like 配合警察 (pèihé jǐngchá), to cooperate with the police. 搭配 (dāpèi) is more about combining things that go well together, such as clothes, colors, or food.