How to Write 朋 (péng) — Meaning “friend”

Q: What is a good memory technique to remember 朋?

Think of two moons (月) side by side, like two friends walking together under the moonlight. The word 'péng' sounds like 'pang' as in 'pang of friendship'—a sudden strong feeling of connection.

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

Write the left 月 first, then the right 月. Keep the two parts close together and evenly sized, not too far apart. A common mistake is making the left side too wide or the right side too narrow.

Q: How do I tell 朋 apart from similar characters like 有 and 朊?

朋 has two 月 side by side, while 有 has 月 on top and 又 below, meaning 'to have'. 朊 has 月 on the left and 元 on the right, meaning 'soft' or 'protein'—a very different use.

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

朋 appears in common words like 朋友 (friend), 男朋友 (boyfriend), and 亲戚朋友 (relatives and friends). It is essential for talking about social relationships, and in Chinese culture, having many friends is seen as a sign of good character.

Q: What common words use 朋?

Common words containing 朋 include: 朋友 (péng yǒu) — friend; 男朋友 (nán péng yǒu) — Boyfriend; 亲朋 (qīn péng) — relatives and friends.

péng HSK Level 1 8 strokes Radical: 月

朋 (péng) means "friend" in Chinese. It has 8 strokes with the radical 月, and is HSK Level 1.

Rated 3.2/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 66% of HSK Level 1 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 朋友 (péng yǒu), 男朋友 (nán péng yǒu), 亲朋 (qīn péng).

Due to its 8 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 朋 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 朋 (péng)

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

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How to Write 朋

The character 朋 (péng) is written with 8 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 月 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 péng (朋) Mean in Chinese?

朋 means friend.

As an HSK Level 1 character, 朋 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Character Data

Character	朋
Pinyin	péng (peng)
Meaning	friend
Strokes	8
Radical	月
HSK Level	1
Difficulty	3.2/5

Origin of 朋

朋 originally depicted two strings of cowrie shells (贝) tied together, symbolizing a pair or group. Over time, this image of linked shells came to represent a close companion or friend. The modern form uses two 月 (moon) radicals, but the ancient meaning of pairing remains.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine two moons (月月) side by side, like best friends sharing the night sky.

Common Words with 朋

朋友 péng yǒu

friend

男朋友 nán péng yǒu

Boyfriend

亲朋 qīn péng

relatives and friends

Example Sentences

他是我的好朋友。

tā shì wǒ de hǎo péng yǒu

He is my good friend.

她有男朋友吗？

tā yǒu nán péng yǒu ma

Does she have a boyfriend?

亲朋好友都来了。

qīn péng hǎo yǒu dōu lái le

All the relatives and friends have come.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
朋 (current)	péng	8	月
有	yǒu	6	月
朊	ruǎn	8	月
服	fú / fù	8	月

Practice Writing 朋 (péng)

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

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 朋

How is the character 朋 structured, and how does it relate to its meaning of 'friend'?

朋 is made of two 月 (moon) radicals placed side by side. Two moons together suggest two people looking at each other or walking together, which represents the idea of companionship and friendship.

What is a good memory technique to remember 朋?

What should I watch out for when writing 朋?

How do I tell 朋 apart from similar characters like 有 and 朊?

When and how is 朋 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 朋?

How to Write 朋 (péng) — Meaning “friend”

Practice Writing 朋 (péng)

How to Write 朋

What Does péng (朋) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 朋

Common Words with 朋

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 朋 (péng)

Frequently Asked Questions about 朋

More HSK Level 1 Characters

Characters with Radical 月

Other 8-Stroke Characters