HanziGuru.痹 · bì
痹
bì[bi4]Tone 4

numbness, paralysis

HSK 7
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痺
Guru Deep Dive

English · numbness, paralysis

Cached lesson
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Topology:Semi-enclosure
Strokes:12
Writing Balance Rule: Keep the sickness enclosure (疒) wide and arched at the top left, tucking the interior components neatly beneath and inside its shelter without touching the bottom edge.
Simplification Logic: The traditional form (痺) features the phonetic component 卑 inside, which was simplified in the mainland standard to 痹, preserving the 疒 radical and streamlining internal strokes.
1. Meaning

numbness or paralysis of limbs or body parts

rheumatic stiffnessdeadness of sensation
noun / verbformal / medicalBound morpheme#medical#sensory#health
Sample Usage
  • 麻痹
    mábì
    paralysis / numbness / apathy
  • 结核性脑膜炎常有颅神经麻痹。
    jiéhéxìng nǎomóyán cháng yǒu lú shénjīng mábì.
    Tuberculous meningitis often presents with cranial nerve palsy.
2. Sound
/[pi⁵¹]/Tone: 51
痹
bìbi4
++
`(51)
=bì
Build the syllable
Step-by-step blending
bi
Tone mark placement: Tone mark sits on "i" per main-vowel priority (a > e > o; in -iu/-ui the mark takes the second vowel).
Initial Consonant
b
Type: Unaspirated Bilabial
Sounds like: b sound like English 'b' in 'bee'
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: No burst of air. A tissue in front of lips should stay still.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Lips pressed together firmly and released without an extra puff of air.
Final Rhyme
i
Vowel Group: -i vowel group
Sounds like: -i sounds like the 'ee' in 'see'
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'ee'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T4 (51)
4th Tone (High-Falling)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and drops abruptly, similar to shouting a sharp command like 'NO!' or 'DOWN!' in English.
👂
Listening trap: Confusing it with Tone 1 (bī) or Tone 2 (bí). Make sure the pitch starts high and plunges quickly.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A sharp, decisive downward chop with your hand, mirroring a sudden loss of feeling.
3. Writing

Topology: Semi-enclosure · Strokes: 12 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: Keep the sickness enclosure (疒) wide and arched at the top left, tucking the interior components neatly beneath and inside its shelter without touching the bottom edge.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form (痺) features the phonetic component 卑 inside, which was simplified in the mainland standard to 痹, preserving the 疒 radical and streamlining internal strokes.

4. Components

Radical 疒 · Sickness Radical (illness, disease, or bodily affliction)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 疒 (indicates conditions related to physical ailments or bodily malfunction)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 卑 (original sound: bēi / bì)

A person under a sick roof (疒) experiences a humble, lowly (卑) state of bodily failure where their limbs become completely numb.

  • 疒 sickness radical indicating illness
  • 卑 phonetic and conceptual hint suggesting low sensation or reduced function
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from the sickness signifier (疒) and the sound component (卑) to denote conditions where bodily channels are blocked, leading to numbness and paralysis.

Semantic Evolution: Originally referred specifically to painful obstruction syndromes in traditional Chinese medicine (bi syndrome), it broadened to include general numbness and paralysis in modern medical contexts.

  • In Traditional Chinese Medicine, 'bi' (痹) refers to diseases caused by wind, cold, and dampness blocking the meridians.
6. Sinosphere
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: ヒ (hi) / Kun: しびれる (shibireru)
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
비
Sound Shift Bridge: The initial 'b' maps consistently to Japanese 'h' or 'b' on'yomi readings, and English medical terminology borrows it via translation equivalents.
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

While trapped under a sick roof (疒), you feel so lowly and humble (卑) that your arms and legs completely fall asleep, turning into absolute numbness and paralysis (bì).

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
畀
bìto confer on; to give toPhonetic Core (声旁)
鼻
bínose+ 自 (self)
淠
pìluxuriant (of water plants)+ 氵 (water)
箅
bì(bound form) bamboo grid for steaming food+ ⺮ (bamboo)
Explore this family →
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
碑(bēi)
碑 has a stone radical (石) for stone monuments, whereas 痹 has a sickness radical (疒) for bodily numbness.
脾(pí)
脾 has a flesh radical (月) referring to the internal organ spleen, whereas 痹 has the sickness radical (疒).
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
长时间保持同一个姿势，容易导致腿部发[___]。
Clue: bì
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the radical 疒 with 广 (shelter) or writing the inner component 卑 incorrectly by missing horizontal strokes.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see 痹 with the sickness radical and 卑 inside, what does it mean and how is it read?
Production: How do you write the character for numbness/paralysis (bì) using the sickness radical?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

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