How to Write 扁 (biǎn/piān) — Meaning “Flat.”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember the character 扁?

Picture a door (户) that is so thin and flat (扁) it looks like a piece of paper. The bottom part even looks like a flat rectangle with a line inside, reminding you of a flat surface.

Q: Are there any writing tips for 扁?

Write the top 户 first, then the bottom part with a left vertical, top horizontal, inner horizontal, right vertical, and bottom horizontal. A common mistake is making the inner horizontal too long; it should stay inside the box.

Q: How can I tell 扁 apart from 戽 and 戾?

扁 has a flat box shape at the bottom, while 戽 has 斗 (a dipper) at the bottom and means a bailing tool. 戾 has 犬 (dog) at the bottom and means violent or perverse, so look at the bottom part to tell them apart.

Q: When is 扁 used in modern Chinese?

扁 appears in words like 扁担 (a shoulder pole for carrying loads) and 扁平 (flat). It also has a special pronunciation piān in 扁舟 (a small boat), often used in classical poetry to describe a tiny skiff.

Q: What common words use 扁?

Common words containing 扁 include: 扁担 (biǎn dàn) — Carrying pole; shoulder pole.; 扁平 (biǎn píng) — Flat; 扁舟 (piān zhōu) — a small boat; a skiff.

biǎn/piān HSK Level 6 9 strokes Radical: 户

扁 (biǎn/piān) means "Flat." in Chinese. It has 9 strokes with the radical 户, and is HSK Level 6.

Rated 4/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 47% of HSK Level 6 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 扁担 (biǎn dàn), 扁平 (biǎn píng), 扁舟 (piān zhōu).

Due to its 9 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 扁 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 扁 (biǎn/piān)

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

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How to Write 扁

The character 扁 (biǎn/piān) is written with 9 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 户 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 biǎn/piān (扁) Mean in Chinese?

扁 means Flat..

This is a polyphonic character with readings: biǎn, piān.

As an HSK Level 6 character, 扁 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	扁
Pinyin	biǎn / piān (bian/pian)
Meaning	Flat.
Strokes	9
Radical	户
HSK Level	6
Difficulty	4/5

Origin of 扁

扁 combines 户 (door) with a rectangular frame (冂) that suggests a flat, thin shape—like a door panel or a flat board. Originally it depicted a flat object, possibly a signboard or a thin door, emphasizing its lack of thickness.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a door (户) that is so flat it's like a pancake squished into a rectangular frame (冂) — it's completely flat.

Common Words with 扁

扁担 biǎn dàn

Carrying pole; shoulder pole.

扁平 biǎn píng

Flat

扁舟 piān zhōu

a small boat; a skiff

Example Sentences

爷爷用扁担挑着两筐新鲜的水果。

yé yé yòng biǎn dàn tiāo zhe liǎng kuāng xīn xiān de shuǐ guǒ

Grandpa is carrying two baskets of fresh fruit with a shoulder pole.

这种新型电池的外形非常扁平。

zhè zhǒng xīn xíng diàn chí de wài xíng fēi cháng biǎn píng

The shape of this new type of battery is very flat.

湖面上漂浮着一叶轻盈的扁舟。

hú miàn shàng piāo fú zhe yī yè qīng yíng de piān zhōu

A light skiff floats on the lake surface.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
扁 (current)	biǎn / piān	9	户
戽	hù	8	户
戾	lì	8	户
房	fáng	8	户

Practice Writing 扁 (biǎn/piān)

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

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 扁

What are the components of 扁 and how do they relate to its meaning?

扁 is made of two parts: the top is 户 (door) and the bottom is a flat shape resembling a board. This suggests something flat like a door panel, which matches the meaning "flat."

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 扁?

Are there any writing tips for 扁?

How can I tell 扁 apart from 戽 and 戾?

When is 扁 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 扁?

How to Write 扁 (biǎn/piān) — Meaning “Flat.”

Practice Writing 扁 (biǎn/piān)

How to Write 扁

What Does biǎn/piān (扁) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 扁

Common Words with 扁

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 扁 (biǎn/piān)

Frequently Asked Questions about 扁

More HSK Level 6 Characters

Characters with Radical 户

Other 9-Stroke Characters