How to Write 匹 (pǐ) — Meaning “measure word for horses or cloth; match”

Imagine that the left side 匸 looks like a stable wall, and the right side 匕 is a spoon or knife. You can think: 'You need one spoonful of hay to feed one horse' – and that horse is counted as 一匹马, using the measure word 匹.

Start by writing the horizontal stroke on top, then the left vertical stroke that curves inward, followed by the inner part: a short horizontal, then a vertical and a horizontal that stick out slightly. Pay attention: the outer box 匸 should be open on the right side, not fully closed like in the character 区.

The character 匸 alone is a rare archaic radical meaning 'to hide' and is not used as a standalone word. 区 (qū) means 'area' or 'region' and has an extra stroke inside (an X shape), while 匹 has a simpler inner shape 匕 and is a measure word or verb meaning 'to match'. Never confuse the inner parts.

匹 is most commonly used as a measure word for horses, cloth, and bolts of fabric, for example 一匹马 (one horse) or 一匹布 (a bolt of cloth). It also appears in the word 匹配 (pǐpèi) meaning 'to match' or 'pair', which is used in contexts like technology or dating to describe compatibility.

Common words containing 匹 include: 一匹马 (yì pǐ mǎ) — one horse; 匹配 (pǐ pèi) — to match; to pair; 匹配度 (pǐ pèi dù) — matching degree; compatibility.