譬如说 (pì rú shuì) — for example, for instance; such as (introducing examples)

Definition

Set phrase meaning 'for example' / 'for instance', used to introduce one or more examples in a sentence (often at the start, like 'For example, ...').

verb
for examplefor instancesuch as (introducing examples)

Examples

  • ，譬如说，。
    Xǔ duō dòng wù, pì rú shuì māo hé gǒu, dōu shì rén lèi de hǎo péng you.
    Many animals, such as cats and dogs, are good friends of humans.
  • ，譬如说。
    Xué xí yǔ yán xū yào fāng fǎ, pì rú shuì duō tīng duō shuō.
    Learning a language requires methods, for example, listening and speaking a lot.
  • ，譬如说。
    Rú guǒ nǐ xiǎng tí gāo zhōng wén, pì rú shuì kě yǐ měi tiān kàn xīn wén.
    If you want to improve your Chinese, for instance, you can watch the news every day.

Origin

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
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
辟
辟pì譬pì
Same sound today

譬 combines 言, showing it relates to saying or words, with 辟, which gives its sound.

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ如rú
Same sound today

如 is built from 口 (mouth) for its meaning and 女 (woman) for its sound.

Open 如 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 說; 说 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
兌
兌duì說shuō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 說 pairs 言 (meaning) with 兌 (sound); the simplified 说 is not the form described here.

Open 说 →

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