() — beer

Definition

啤 is a bound form that only appears as part of 啤酒 ('beer'). It carries no meaning on its own — think of it as the first syllable of the word for beer.

bound form
beer

Examples

  • Tā měi tiān hē yì píng pí jiǔ.
    He drinks a bottle of beer every day.
  • Zhè jiā pí jiǔ diàn hěn yǒu míng.
    This pub is very famous.
  • Wǒ bù xǐ huan hē pí jiǔ.
    I don't like to drink beer.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
kǒumouth (phonetic)
Sound part声符shēngfú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

啤 combines 口 (mouth) with 卑, which gives the sound bēi.

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