HanziGuru.鼻 · bí
鼻
bí[bi2]Tone 2

nose

HSK 5
Guru Deep Dive

English · nose

Cached lesson
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Topology:Top-bottom
Strokes:14
Writing Balance Rule: The top component (自) sits compactly at the top center, while the bottom parts spread out harmoniously underneath to keep the character stable.
1. Meaning

nose

spout (of a kettle or pot)projecting part
NounNeutral#body parts#anatomy#objects
Sample Usage
  • 他的鼻子很高。
    tā de bízi hěn gāo.
    His nose is very high (prominent).
  • 感冒了，鼻子不通气。
    gǎnmào le, bízi bù tōng qì.
    I have a cold, and my nose is stuffy.
2. Sound
/[pi³⁵]/Tone: 35
鼻
bíbi2
++
´(35)
=bí
Initial Consonant
b
Type: Unaspirated Bilabial
Sounds like: English b sound 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 lightly and released with vocal cord vibration, no burst of air.
Final Rhyme
i
Vowel Group: -i vowel group
Sounds like: ee sound in 'see'
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'ee'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T2 (35)
2nd Tone (Mid-Rising)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 2 rises from mid to high pitch, identical to the inflection used in English when asking 'Huh?' or 'What?' in disbelief.
Sandhi: When followed by another 3rd tone, 'bǐ' shifts to a 2nd tone.
👂
Listening trap: Confusing the rising Tone 2 (bí) with Tone 3 (bǐ), or mishearing the initial 'b' as 'p'.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Make a quick sweeping upward motion with your hand, mirroring an elevator rising to the top floor.
3. Writing

Topology: Top-bottom · Strokes: 14 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The top component (自) sits compactly at the top center, while the bottom parts spread out harmoniously underneath to keep the character stable.

4. Components

Radical 鼻 · Nose Radical (Nose)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 自 (Originally represented the nose itself, acting as the semantic and phonetic root.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 畀 (original sound: bi)

The character combines 自 (self/nose) at the top with 畀 (to give/dispatch) at the bottom, pointing to the organ through which we draw breath.

  • 自 Nose / Self
  • 畀 To give / phonetic helper
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: In Oracle Bone script, 鼻 was a pictorial representation of a human nose, with a curved line pointing to the face. Over time, the character 自 was incorporated as the upper element, and 畀 was added below for pronunciation and structure.

Semantic Evolution: Originally denoting the physical nose organ, it expanded to describe nose-like protrusions on objects, such as the spout of a tea kettle.

  • The character 自 originally meant 'nose' in ancient Chinese before shifting to mean 'oneself'.
6. Sinosphere
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: ビ / Kun: はナ
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
비
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

You point to **YOURSELF** (自) with a bee stinging you right on the **NOSE** (鼻), causing your voice to rise in pain on the second tone (bí).

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
自(zì)
自 is a simpler character meaning 'self', whereas 鼻 is much larger (14 strokes) and represents the whole 'nose'.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
大象有一个长长 的[___]。
Clue: bí zi
Common Learner Pitfall

Forgetting the complex lower structure and confusing it with simpler characters like 自.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: What body part does the character 鼻 represent?
Production: How do you write the 14-stroke character for 'nose' (bí)?
Real-World Video Context

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

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