How to Write 币 (bì) — Meaning “currency / money”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember 币?

Imagine a piece of cloth (巾) with a single coin balancing on top. The top stroke represents the coin, and the cloth underneath reminds you that money was once made from cloth.

Q: What should I watch out for when writing 币?

Start with the short left-falling stroke on top, then write the components of 巾: vertical stroke, horizontal stroke, and final vertical hook. A common mistake is making the top stroke too long or connecting it to the 巾 below.

Q: How do I distinguish 币 from similar characters like 巾 and 巿?

巾 has no top stroke at all, while 币 has a left-falling stroke on top. 巿 looks similar but has a horizontal stroke across the top instead of a left-falling stroke, and it is rarely used.

Q: When and how is 币 used in modern Chinese?

币 is used in words for currency, such as 人民币 (Chinese yuan), 硬币 (coin), and 纸币 (banknote). It appears in financial contexts and is a key part of China's official currency name.

Q: What common words use 币?

Common words containing 币 include: 钱币 (qián bì) — coins / currency; 货币 (huò bì) — currency; money; 硬币 (yìng bì) — coin.

bì HSK Level 3 4 strokes Radical: 巾

币 (bì) means "currency / money" in Chinese. It has 4 strokes with the radical 巾, and is HSK Level 3.

Rated 2.7/5 in difficulty (moderate).

Harder than 13% of HSK Level 3 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 钱币 (qián bì), 货币 (huò bì), 硬币 (yìng bì).

Hanzi Writer's stroke validation shows learners typically need 5-8 attempts to write 币 with correct proportion and order.

Practice Writing 币 (bì)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 币 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 币

The character 币 (bì) is written with 4 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 巾 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does bì (币) Mean in Chinese?

币 means currency / money.

As an HSK Level 3 character, 币 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	币
Pinyin	bì (bi)
Meaning	currency / money
Strokes	4
Radical	巾
HSK Level	3
Difficulty	2.7/5

Origin of 币

The character 币 is the simplified form of the traditional 幣, which combines 巾 (cloth) and 敝 (shabby) to reflect that cloth was used as a form of currency in ancient China. The present form retains the cloth radical 巾 as a key visual clue to its monetary meaning.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a cloth (巾) with a single stroke across it, like a coin with a hole in the center—the basic symbol of money.

Common Words with 币

钱币 qián bì

coins / currency

货币 huò bì

currency; money

硬币 yìng bì

coin

Example Sentences

他收集了很多钱币。

tā shōu jí le hěn duō qián bì

He collected many coins.

这里的货币是人民币。

zhè lǐ de huò bì shì rén mín bì

The currency here is Renminbi.

我兜里有几个硬币。

wǒ dōu lǐ yǒu jǐ gè yìng bì

I have a few coins in my pocket.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
币 (current)	bì	4	巾
巾	jīn	3	巾
巿	fú	4	巾
帀	zā	4	巾

Practice Writing 币 (bì)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 币 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

App Store ▶ Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions about 币

How is the character 币 structured, and how does its parts relate to its meaning?

币 is composed of the radical 巾 (cloth) on the bottom and a short left-falling stroke on top. This relates to its meaning because cloth was historically used as a form of currency in ancient China.

What is a good memory trick to remember 币?

What should I watch out for when writing 币?

How do I distinguish 币 from similar characters like 巾 and 巿?

When and how is 币 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 币?

How to Write 币 (bì) — Meaning “currency / money”

Practice Writing 币 (bì)

How to Write 币

What Does bì (币) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 币

Common Words with 币

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 币 (bì)

Frequently Asked Questions about 币

More HSK Level 3 Characters

Characters with Radical 巾

Other 4-Stroke Characters