批

Translingual

Han character

批 (Kangxi radical 64, 手+4, 7 strokes, cangjie input 手心心 (QPP), four-corner 5101₀, composition ⿰扌比)

Derived characters

• 𫵫

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 419, character 12
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 11845
• Dae Jaweon: page 766, character 4
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 1835, character 5
• Unihan data for U+6279

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Chinese

trad.		批
simp. #		批
alternative forms		𠜱 Cantonese; Hakka; Teochew "to pare" 㓟 Cantonese and Teochew "to pare" 剕 Cantonese "to pare" 剖 Teochew "to pare"

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (比) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
梐	*piː, *biːʔ
狴	*piː
悂	*piː, *pʰi
螕	*piː
鎞	*piː
蓖	*piː
篦	*piː, *bis
批	*pʰiː
砒	*pʰiː
鈚	*pʰiː, *bi
磇	*pʰiː
媲	*pʰiːs
笓	*biː
膍	*biː, *bi
陛	*biːʔ
仳	*pʰeʔ, *piʔ, *bi, *briʔ
吡	*pʰeʔ, *piʔ, *biɡ
紕	*be, *pʰi, *kʰjɯʔ
比	*piʔ, *pis, *bi, *bis, *biɡ
妣	*piʔ, *pis
秕	*piʔ
沘	*piʔ, *bi
枇	*piʔ, *bi, *bis
粊	*pris
庇	*pis
屁	*pʰis
琵	*bi
毗	*bi
貔	*bi
豼	*bi
蚍	*bi
芘	*bi, *bis
肶	*bi
魮	*bi
阰	*bi
坒	*bis, *biɡ
玭	*bin

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰiː) : semantic 手 (“hand”) + phonetic 比 (OC *piʔ, *pis, *bi, *bis, *biɡ).

Etymology

“to pare”

𠜱 (pī) is sometimes treated as the 本字 (běnzì, “original character”).

“pie”

Borrowed from English pie.

“vulva; cunt”

From the Sichuanese pronunciation of 屄 (pi1).

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): pī (pi¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄆㄧ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): pei¹ / pi¹

• Cantonese (Jyutping): pai¹
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): phî / phâi
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): phoe / phe / phi

  (Teochew, Peng'im): poi¹

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: pī
    • Zhuyin: ㄆㄧ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: pi
    • Wade–Giles: pʻi¹
    • Yale: pī
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: pi
    • Palladius: пи (pi)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰi⁵⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: pīr
    • Zhuyin: ㄆㄧㄦ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: pir
    • Wade–Giles: pʻi¹-ʼrh
    • Yale: pīr
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: piel
    • Palladius: пир (pir)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰiə̯ɻ⁵⁵/

Note: erhua-ed - “fibres ready to be drawn and twisted”.

• • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: pei¹ / pi¹
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: pei / pi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰei⁵⁵/, /pʰi⁵⁵/

Note: originally pi1, but changed to pei1 because of homophony with 屄 (bī).

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: pai¹
    • Yale: pāi
    • Cantonese Pinyin: pai¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: pei¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰɐi̯⁵⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: phî / phâi
    • Hakka Romanization System: pi^ˊ / pai^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: pi¹ / pai¹
    • Sinological IPA: /pʰi²⁴/, /pʰai̯²⁴/

Note: phâi - “to peel”.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Hsinchu, Lukang, Sanxia, Kinmen, Magong)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phoe
    • Tâi-lô: phue
    • Phofsit Daibuun: phoef
    • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Kinmen): /pʰue⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Lukang): /pʰue³³/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Yilan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phe
    • Tâi-lô: phe
    • Phofsit Daibuun: phef
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Yilan): /pʰe⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /pʰe³³/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phi
    • Tâi-lô: phi
    • Phofsit Daibuun: phy
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /pʰi⁴⁴/

Note:

• Xiamen, Quanzhou:
  • phoe - vernacular;
  • phe - literary.
• mainstream Taiwan:
  • phoe - vernacular;
  • phi - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: poi¹
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: phoi
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰoi³³/

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• Middle Chinese: phej

Rime
Character	批
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	滂 (2)
Final (韻)	齊 (39)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	IV
Fanqie	匹迷切
Baxter	phej
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/pʰei/
Pan Wuyun	/pʰei/
Shao Rongfen	/pʰɛi/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/pʰɛj/
Li Rong	/pʰei/
Wang Li	/pʰiei/
Bernard Karlgren	/pʰiei/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	pī
Expected Cantonese Reflex	pai1

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*pʰiː/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	批
Reading #	1/1
No.	499
Phonetic component	比
Rime group	脂
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	磇
Old Chinese	/*pʰiː/

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 批

1. to slap
2. ^† to attack; to offend
3. ^† to eliminate; to discard
4. to cut (into thin slices), peel, or shape with a knife or blade; to pare: to peel [fruits], to sharpen [pencils], etc.

   批蘋果／批苹果 [Cantonese]  ―  pai¹ ping⁴ gwo² [Jyutping]  ―  to peel an apple

5. (Cantonese) to plaster
6. (Cantonese) to hit with diagonal or horizontal motion
7. to make comments and criticisms (to an inferior from a superior, regarding a submitted report, essay, etc.)
8. comment; annotation; criticism
9. to judge
10. to criticize
11. to approve
12. (Cantonese) to guess; to predict
13. (Eastern Min, Hokkien, Puxian Min) letter (written or printed communication) (Classifier: 張／张; 封)

    • 手提紙筆趕緊要寫一張批，安慰媽媽講阮在外一切沒問題。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
      手提纸笔赶紧要写一张批，安慰妈妈讲阮在外一切没问题。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]

      From: 1991, (deprecated template usage) 詹雅雯, 故鄉一封信

      Chhiú the̍h chóa-pit kóaⁿ-kín beh siá chi̍t tiuⁿ phe, an-ùi má-mah kóng gún chāi-gōa it-chhè bô būn-tê. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

      With paper and a pen in my hand, I hurried to write a letter, comforting Mom, saying that everything is alright away from home.

14. (Teochew) letter from a foreign country
15. to sell at wholesale
16. Classifier for batches, lots, etc.
17. (colloquial) fibres of cotton, flax, etc. ready to be drawn and twisted
18. (Cantonese) pie

    雞批／鸡批 [Cantonese]  ―  gai¹ pai¹ [Jyutping]  ―  chicken pie

    蘋果批／苹果批 [Cantonese]  ―  ping⁴ gwo² pai¹ [Jyutping]  ―  apple pie

19. (Internet slang, vulgar) vulva; cunt

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 信 (“letter”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		書, 函, 書札, 書函, 便紙 Korea
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		信, 函, 書信, 信件, 信函, 信札, 函件, 書函, 書簡, 書牘, 書札
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	信
	Taiwan	信
	Malaysia	信
	Singapore	信
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	信
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	信
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	信
	Wanrong	信
	Xi'an	信
	Xining	信
	Xuzhou	信
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	信
	Lanzhou	信
	Ürümqi	信
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	信
	Wuhan	信
	Guiyang	信
	Guilin	信
	Liuzhou	信
	Dagudi (Maliba)	信
	Reshuitang (Longling)	信
	Mae Salong (Lancang)	信
	Mae Sai (Tengchong)	信
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	信
	Yangzhou	信
	Hefei	信
Cantonese	Guangzhou	信
	Hong Kong	信
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	信
	Macau	信
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	信
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	信
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	信
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	信
	Foshan	信
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	信
	Foshan (Shunde)	信
	Foshan (Sanshui)	信
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	信
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	信
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	信
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	信
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	信
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	信
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	信
	Taishan	信
	Kaiping (Chikan)	信
	Enping (Niujiang)	信
	Heshan (Yayao)	信
	Dongguan	信
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	信
	Shaoguan	信
	Yunfu	信
	Yangjiang	信
	Xinyi	信
	Lianjiang	信
	Beihai	信
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	信
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	信
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	信
	Singapore (Guangfu)	信
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	信
	Móng Cái	信
Gan	Nanchang	信
	Lichuan	信
	Pingxiang	信
Hakka	Meixian	信
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	信
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	信
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	信
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	信
	Wuhua (Shuizhai)	信
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	信
	Wuhua (Changbu)	信
	Wuhua (Mianyang)	信
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	信
	Luhe	信仔
	Yudu	信
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	信仔
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	信仔
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	信仔
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	信
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	信仔, 信
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	批, 信
	Hong Kong	信
Huizhou	Jixi	信
Jin	Taiyuan	信
	Xinzhou	信
Northern Min	Jian'ou	信
	Songxi	信
	Jianyang	信
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	批
	Gutian	批
	Pingnan	批, 信
	Ningde	批
	Zhouning	批
	Fuding	信
	Matsu	批
	Singapore (Fuqing)	批
Southern Min	Xiamen	批, 批信
	Quanzhou	批, 批信
	Yongchun	批
	Zhangzhou	批, 批信
	Zhao'an	批
	Taipei	批
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	批
	Kaohsiung	批
	Yilan	批
	Changhua (Lukang)	批
	Taichung	批
	Taichung (Wuqi)	批
	Tainan	批, 批信
	Taitung	批
	Hsinchu	批
	Kinmen	批
	Penghu (Magong)	批
	Penang (Hokkien)	批
	Singapore (Hokkien)	批, 批信
	Manila (Hokkien)	批
	Longyan	信
	Datian	信
	Chaozhou	信, 批 international incoming letters
	Bangkok (Teochew)	信, 家批 dated
	Singapore (Teochew)	信, 批
	Batam (Teochew)	信
	Leizhou	信
	Wenchang	信 domestic, 批 international
	Haikou	信
	Singapore (Hainanese)	信, 批
Puxian Min	Putian	批
	Xianyou	批
	Fuding (Aoyao)	批
Central Min	Yong'an	信
	Sanming (Shaxian)	信
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	信
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	信
Wu	Shanghai	信
	Shanghai (Chongming)	信
	Suzhou	信
	Danyang	信
	Ningbo	信
	Wenzhou	信
	Jinhua	信
Xiang	Changsha	信
	Loudi	信
	Shuangfeng	信

Compounds

See also

• (to pare): 削 (xiāo), 刨 (páo), 鉋／刨 (paau2)

Further reading

• “Entry #3209”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2024.

(deprecated template usage)

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Japanese

Kanji

批

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji)

1. criticism

Readings

• Go-on: はい (hai)
• Kan-on: へい (hei)
• Kan’yō-on: ひ (hi, Jōyō)
• Kun: うつ (utsu, 批つ)

Compounds

Compounds

• 批(ひ)判(はん) (hihan)
• 批(ひ)准(じゅん) (hijun)
• 批(ひ)評(ひょう) (hihyō)

• 批(ひ)正(せい) (hisei)
• 批(ひ)点(てん) (hiten)

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Korean

Hanja

批 • (bi, byeol) (hangeul 비, 별)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

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Vietnamese

Han character

Readings

批: Hán Việt readings: phi
批: Nôm readings: phê, phe, phây

References

• Lê Sơn Thanh, "Nom-Viet.dat", WinVNKey (details)