屏 (bǐng) — to hold back (breath), to suppress; to discard, to reject
Definition
Read as bǐng, this bound form means 'to hold back / suppress / discard' and only appears in compounds like 屏住呼吸 or 摒弃. Read píng it means 'screen' — a different word entirely.
bound form
to hold back (breath)to suppressto discardto reject
Easily confused
- 摒bìnglook-alike(bound form) to discard; to get rid of; to dismiss (used in compounds such as 摒弃 and 摒除)
- 饼bǐngsound-alikeround flat cake (e.g. pancake, pie, mooncake)
- 柄bǐngsound-alikehandle (of a tool, weapon, umbrella, etc.)
- 丙bǐngsound-alikethird of the ten Heavenly Stems (天干)
- 禀bǐngsound-alike(bound form) to report to a superior (in 禀报, 禀告)
- 秉bǐngsound-aliketo hold, to grasp (literary)
Examples
- ，。Tā shēn xī yì kǒu qì, rán hòu bǐng zhù le hū xī.She took a deep breath and then held it.
- ，，。Zài guān jiàn shí kè, tā bǐng qì níng shén, bù gǎn yǒu rèn hé chā cuò.At the critical moment, he held his breath and concentrated, afraid to make any mistake.
- ，。Gōng sī jué dìng bǐng qì jiù de shēng chǎn fāng shì, quán miàn shēng jí jì shù.The company decided to discard the old production methods and fully upgrade the technology.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
屏 pairs 尸 with 并, which supplies the sound.
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