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碰壁 (pèng bì) — to be rebuffed; to encounter difficulties; to run into a blind alley (figurative)

Definition

碰壁 (pèng bì) literally means 'bump into a wall' — figuratively, to hit a dead end or meet firm resistance, with no progress possible. Common in narrative contexts describing failed attempts.

verb
to be rebuffedto encounter difficultiesto run into a blind alley (figurative)

Examples

  • 碰壁，。
    Zài lǎo bǎn nà r pèng bì zhī hòu, tā jué dìng huàn gè fāng fǎ.
    After being rebuffed by the boss, he decided to change his approach.
  • ，。
    Tā qù zhǎo jīng lǐ bāng máng, jié guǒ yòu pèng le yí cì bì.
    He went to the manager for help, but ended up hitting a wall again.
  • ，。
    Wǒ yǐ qián pèng guò bì, suǒ yǐ zhī dào gāi zěn me zuò.
    I've hit walls before, so I know what to do.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

碰pènghit
壁bìwall

碰 means hit and 壁 means wall; striking a wall suggests being blocked or rebuffed.

Characters in this word

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
石石shírock
Sound part声符shēngfú
並
並bìng碰pèng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

碰 is built from 石 (rock) and 並 (bìng); 石 shows the meaning, and 並 shows the sound.

Open 碰 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
辟
辟pì壁bì
Same sound today

壁 combines 土 (earth) and 辟, which gives the sound. The whole means an earthen wall.

Open 壁 →
Appears in
Conflict & Agreement

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