How to Write 飞 (fēi) — Meaning “to fly”

Imagine a bird taking off: the first stroke is the bird's body stretching upward and forward, and the two dots are its wings beating quickly. You can also think of the character looking like a small '9' with two dots, where the '9' is the bird diving and the dots are wind puffs.

Start with a horizontal stroke that curves down and left into a hook, then add a dot on the upper right and another dot below it. A common mistake is making the hook too straight or placing the two dots too far apart—they should be close together on the right side. Keep the dots small and the main stroke smooth.

Common expressions include 飞机 (fēi jī, airplane), 飞行 (fēi xíng, flight), and 起飞 (qǐ fēi, to take off). You use these when talking about air travel, aviation, or anything related to flying. For example, '飞机要起飞了' means 'The plane is about to take off.'

飞 is used for anything that flies, like birds, insects, or aircraft, and also metaphorically for speed or upward movement. Culturally, it appears in idioms such as 飞黄腾达 (to soar in career) and in the name of the famous Chinese aerospace company. It is a very positive and dynamic character.

Common words containing 飞 include: 飞机 (fēi jī) — airplane; 飞行 (fēi xíng) — flight; 起飞 (qǐ fēi) — to take off (of an aircraft).