How to Write 埤 (pí) — Meaning “low wall / low-lying land”

Picture a humble (卑) little wall made of dirt (土) that is so low you can step over it. Or think of the sound "pee" — a low, damp area where you might find a puddle.

Write the left 土 narrow and slightly higher than the right side, keeping its bottom horizontal line short. For the right 卑, start with the 白 (white) on top, then add the 十 (ten) below — do not make the left 土 too wide. The overall balance is narrow left, wider right.

型 (xíng) means a mold or pattern, and has 刑 (punishment) on the right instead of 卑. 垌 (dòng) refers to a field or a cave, with 同 (same) on the right. 埤 uniquely combines earth with 卑 to convey low walls or low land.

埤 appears mostly in place names, like 埤头 (Pí tóu) in Taiwan, or in classical descriptions of low, damp land. It is not in the HSK vocabulary, so learners rarely encounter it outside of geography or historical texts.

Common words containing 埤 include: 埤湿 (pí shī) — low and damp; 埤头 (pí tóu) — Pitou (place name) / head of a dam; 埤益 (pí yì) — benefit / advantage.