TongTong
Sign in

批评 (pī píng) — to criticize

Definition

批评 means 'to criticize' — fairly neutral and general-purpose. It is everyday and softer than 谴责 (strongly denounce) and less ideological than 批判 (systematic / political critique).

verb
to criticize
Measure word · 次, 番

Examples

  • 批评。
    Lǎo shī pī píng le wǒ.
    The teacher criticized me.
  • 批评。
    Tā pī píng le wǒ de zuò fǎ.
    He criticized my approach.
  • 批评。
    Tā pī píng le wǒ liǎng cì.
    He criticized me twice.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

批pīto criticize
评píngto comment

批 means to criticize and 评 means to comment, together giving the act of judging someone's behavior.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
比
比bǐ批pī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

批 puts 手 (hand) beside 比, which gives the sound.

Open 批 →

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 評; 评 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
平
平píng評píng
Same sound today

The traditional form 評 uses 言 for speech and 平 as a sound part; the simplified 评 is a later shorthand.

Open 评 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 4Conflict & Agreement5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 4 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.