Definition
劈 (pī) means to split or chop by cutting along the grain, emphasizing separating something into pieces (like splitting wood or a pumpkin). This contrasts with 砍 (kǎn), which means to chop down or cut with an axe (often trees or reducing), and with 斩 (zhǎn), a formal word for beheading or chopping off with a decisive blow. 劈 also means 'to strike' (of lightning).
verb
to splitto chopto hackto strike (of lightning)
Easily confused
- 避bìlook-aliketo avoid; to evade; to keep away from; to shun
- 皮písound-alike(noun) skin (of humans/animals); leather; fur
- 匹pǐsound-alike(classifier) for horses, mules, and other equine animals
- 批pīsound-alike(classifier) for batches, groups, lots
- 批pīsound-aliketo approve (a document, application, etc.)
- 披pīsound-aliketo drape over one’s shoulders; to put on (as a cloak or scarf)
- 脾písound-alikespleen
Examples
- 。Tā yòng càidāo pī kāi le yí gè nánguā.He split open a pumpkin with a kitchen knife.
- 劈。Shǎndiàn pī zhòng le nà zuò lǎo fángzi.Lightning struck that old house.
- 。Yéye měitiān zǎoshang dōu zài yuànzi lǐ pī chái.Grandpa chops firewood in the yard every morning.
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