闭 meaning and stroke order
To close; to stop up; to shut
How to write 闭, stroke by stroke
6 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
Meaning of 闭
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to close
- to stop up
- to shut
- to obstruct
How 闭 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A door 门 blocked by bars 才.
Radical: 门 (gate), shared by 47 characters on this site.
How to remember 闭
Picture a door 门 with a bar 才 stuck inside it, blocking the way. When the door is barred, it is shut, so 闭 (bì) means to close or block.
闭 is mostly used in compounds and with body parts like eyes and mouth, as in 闭眼 (bì yǎn, close your eyes) and 闭嘴 (bìzuǐ, shut up). In formal contexts it appears in words like 关闭 (guānbì) and 倒闭 (dǎobì). Example: 请闭上眼睛。(Qǐng bìshang yǎnjing.) Please close your eyes.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 闭 with 闲 (xián, idle), which has 木 inside the door instead of 才, and with 问 (wèn), which has 口. Also, 闭 is not the everyday word for closing a door or window; for that, use 关 (guān), as in 关门 (guān mén).
Common words with 闭
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 关闭 | guānbì | to close; to shut (a window etc); (of a shop, school etc) to shut down | HSK 4 |
| 封闭 | fēngbì | to close; to seal off; to close down (an illegal venue) | HSK 4 |
| 倒闭 | dǎobì | to go bankrupt; to close down | HSK 4 |
| 闭幕 | bìmù | the curtain falls; lower the curtain | HSK 5 |
| 闭幕式 | bìmùshì | closing ceremony | HSK 5 |
| 闭嘴 | bìzuǐ | Shut up!; same as 閉上嘴巴|闭上嘴巴 | |
| 闭上 | bìshang | to close; to shut up | |
| 闭路电视 | bìlùdiànshì | closed-circuit television | |
| 紧闭 | jǐnbì | to close securely; tightly closed | |
| 闭眼 | bìyǎn | to close one's eyes; (fig.) to die; to pass away | |
| 关禁闭 | guānjìnbì | to put in detention (a soldier, a pupil) | |
| 自闭症 | zìbìzhèng | autism | |
| 闭着 | bìzhe | closed |
闭 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 闭
How many strokes are in 闭?
闭 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 闭 mean?
闭 (bì) means to close; to stop up; to shut. A common word with it is 关闭 (guānbì), meaning "to close; to shut (a window etc); (of a shop, school etc) to shut down".
How do you pronounce 闭?
闭 is pronounced bì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 闭?
The radical of 闭 is 门, which carries the idea of "gate". Dictionaries list 闭 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 闭?
The traditional form of 闭 is 閉. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 闭 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 闭 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 闭 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 关 and 闭?
关 (guān) is the everyday verb for closing doors, windows, and turning off devices. 闭 (bì) is used mainly for eyes and mouth, or in formal compounds like 关闭 and 封闭. You say 关灯 for turning off a light, never 闭灯.
Is 闭嘴 rude?
Yes, 闭嘴 (bìzuǐ) means shut up and sounds blunt or rude, so use it carefully. A softer way to ask for quiet is 请安静 (qǐng ānjìng), please be quiet.