How to Write 佩 (pèi) — Meaning “To wear / To admire”

Imagine a person (亻) wearing a jade pendant (玉佩) tied with a cloth sash (巿). The left side is the person, and the right side looks like a decorated cloth hanging down. This visual of a person with an accessory helps you recall both meanings: 'to wear' and 'to admire'.

Start with the person radical (亻) as two strokes: a left-falling stroke and a vertical stroke. Then write the right side 巿: first the horizontal line, then the vertical line through it, then the two small horizontal lines inside, and finally the enclosing vertical stroke. A common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep it narrow and balanced with the left radical.

仰 (yǎng) means 'to look up' or 'to admire from below', and its right part is 卬 (a kneeling person looking up). 仲 (zhòng) means 'middle' or 'second' and has 中 (middle) on the right. Visually, 佩 has a cloth-like 巿 on the right, while 仰 has an upward-facing figure and 仲 has the 中 component. In usage, 佩 is about wearing or admiring accessories, not about direction or order.

佩 appears in common words like 佩服 (pèi fú, to admire someone's ability) and 佩戴 (pèi dài, to wear accessories like badges or jewelry). The word 玉佩 (yù pèi, jade pendant) also appears in cultural contexts, as jade pendants have been traditional Chinese ornaments for centuries. In modern speech, 佩服 is frequently used to express respect, while 佩戴 is used for formal attire or honors.

Common words containing 佩 include: 佩服 (pèi fú) — To admire; 佩戴 (pèi dài) — To wear (accessories); 玉佩 (yù pèi) — Jade pendant.