verb HSK 4 #2,606

Meanings

  1. 1 to criticize; to approve
  2. 2 batch; wholesale

Examples

Lǎoshī pīpíng le tā.
The teacher criticized him.
Zhè pī huò zhìliàng hěn hǎo.
This batch of goods is high quality.
Shēnqǐng yǐjīng pīzhǔn le.
The application has been approved.

Tips

usage
has contrasting compound meanings: criticise (批评, 批判) vs approve (批准). It also means a batch: 一批, 批发 (wholesale). Context tells you which sense applies.

Components

radical
shǒu
hand (radical form)
Hand radical — original meaning of was 'to slap with the hand', literally a striking gesture. From physical slapping the meaning extended to 'criticise / mark up / approve in writing' (the official's hand striking through with red ink), and finally to 'a batch' (a stroke of approval covering many items).
phonetic
to compare
Phonetic — bǐ → pī (regular tonal/aspirate shift). originally pictured two people side by side. The same phonetic also drives finish, shelter, fart, arsenic — all bǐ/pī family.

Stroke Order