Meaning of 平安
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- safe and sound
- well
- without mishap
- quiet and safe
- at peace
- see 平安區|平安区[Ping2 an1 Qu1]
How to use 平安
平安 describes people arriving or living without trouble, and it is very common in wishes and greetings. It often appears in set phrases like 一路平安 (yí lù píng'ān), have a safe trip. Example: 他们平安到家了。(Tāmen píng'ān dào jiā le.) They got home safe and sound.
平 (píng) means flat or level, and 安 (ān) shows a woman 女 under a roof 宀, a picture of being settled at home. When life is level and everyone is safely home, you are 平安 (píng'ān), safe and sound.
Common mistake: Learners often use 平安 where 安全 (ānquán) is needed. 安全 describes whether something is safe or secure, as in 这里很安全 (this place is safe), while 平安 describes people getting through life or a journey without mishap.
平安 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
平 píng · flat · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
安 ān · calm · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Related words
Words that share a character with 平安.
| 安全 | ānquán | safe; secure; safety; security |
| 晚安 | wǎn'ān | Good night!; Good evening! |
| 安静 | ānjìng | quiet; peaceful |
| 公平 | gōngpíng | fair; impartial |
| 平常 | píngcháng | ordinary; common |
| 平时 | píngshí | ordinarily; in normal times |
| 水平 | shuǐpíng | horizontal; level; a standard; a level (of ability, development etc) |
| 平等 | píngděng | equal; equality |
| 一路平安 | yīlù-píng'ān | to have a pleasant journey; Bon voyage! |
| 安排 | ānpái | to arrange; to plan |
| 和平 | hépíng | peace; peaceful |
| 保安 | bǎo'ān | to ensure public security; to ensure safety (for workers engaged in production) |
Questions about 平安
What does 平安 mean?
平安 (píng'ān) means "safe and sound; well" and is used as a adjective.
How do you write 平安?
平安 is made of 2 characters: 平 (5 strokes), 安 (6 strokes). That is 11 strokes in total.
Is 平安 an HSK word?
Yes. 平安 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 平安夜 mean?
平安夜 (Píng'ān Yè) is Christmas Eve, literally "peaceful night," taken from the carol Silent Night. In China, people sometimes give apples on this night because 苹果 (píngguǒ) sounds like 平 (píng).
How do I use 平安 to wish someone well?
You can say 祝你平安 (zhù nǐ píng'ān), wishing you safety, or 一路平安 (yí lù píng'ān) to someone leaving on a trip. The phrase 平平安安 (píngpíng'ān'ān) adds warmth and is common in family wishes.