How to Write 敝 (bì) — Meaning “shabby / my (humble term)”

Picture a torn piece of cloth (巾) being broken or struck (攵), leaving it shabby and old. The left side looks like two pieces of cloth hanging loosely, which can remind you of the "shabby" meaning and the humble term for "my"—as if your belongings are not perfect.

The left part is written as 敝's left component: start with a short vertical stroke, then a horizontal stroke, followed by a downward hook and two small strokes inside. Ensure the right radical 攵 (four strokes: left-falling, horizontal, left-falling, right-falling) is balanced—the top of 攵 should align with the middle of the left side. A common mistake is making the left side too wide or forgetting the hook stroke.

政 (zhèng, "government") has the left component 正 (upright) and the same right radical 攵, meaning "to govern through upright action." 敃 (mǐn, "to strive") has the left component 民 (people) with 攵, suggesting "to urge people to action." Visually, 敝's left side is unique—it looks like cloth with a break—while 政 and 敃 use clearly different left parts. In usage, 敝 is humble and means "shabby" or "my," whereas 政 and 敃 are not humble terms.

敝 is used as a humble prefix before nouns referring to oneself or one's own belongings, such as 敝人 (I/me) and 敝校 (my school). It appears in formal or polite written language, especially in letters or introductions, to show modesty. It is also found in the compound 凋敝 (diāo bì), meaning economic depression or a run-down state—this is a more literary usage.

Common words containing 敝 include: 敝人 (bì rén) — I / me (humble term); 敝校 (bì xiào) — my school (humble term); 凋敝 (diāo bì) — depressed; destitute (of economy or business).