How to Write 鼙 (pí) — Meaning “War drum”

Picture a war drum (鼓) sitting on a humble (卑) stand—the drum is tall and proud, but it stands on a low, simple base. The word "humble" sounds like the start of "humble drum," helping you recall that 鼙 is a drum used in war.

The top part 鼓 has 13 strokes and is wider; the bottom part 卑 has 8 strokes and is narrower. A common mistake is making the 卑 component too large—keep it compact so the overall character stays balanced. Write the strokes of 鼓 completely before starting 卑.

Both share the 鼓 radical, but 鼙 has 卑 (bēi) underneath, while 鼗 has 兆 (zhào) on the right side. 鼙 means a war drum used in ancient armies, whereas 鼗 (táo) is a small hand-held drum with a handle, often used in folk music or dance.

鼙 is very rare in daily life and not part of the HSK vocabulary. It appears mostly in classical poetry, historical texts, or literary descriptions of ancient warfare, such as the term 鼙鼓 (pí gǔ) meaning "war drum" to evoke battle scenes.

Common words containing 鼙 include: 鼙鼓 (pí gǔ) — War drum; 鼙声 (pí shēng) — Sound of a war drum; 军鼙 (jūn pí) — War drum.