How to Write 贫 (pín) — Meaning “Poor / Impoverished”

Imagine you have a bag of money (贝) but you split it into too many parts (分) so each share is tiny. This visual of dividing your wealth until nothing is left helps you remember that 贫 means poor.

Write the top part 分 slightly narrower than the bottom 贝, and keep the overall shape balanced. A common mistake is making the 分 too wide or placing the 贝 too low, which makes the character look uneven.

贫 has 分 (divide) on top, 贞 has 卜 (divination) on top, and 负 has 刀 (knife) on top. Their meanings are completely different: 贫 means poor, 贞 means faithful or pure, and 负 means negative or to carry.

贫 appears in common words like 贫穷 (poverty) and 贫血 (anemia). In Chinese culture, discussing 贫 can be sensitive, and the character often appears in social or economic contexts like 贫富差距 (wealth gap).

Common words containing 贫 include: 贫穷 (pín qióng) — Poor / Poverty; 贫困 (pín kùn) — Poverty / Poor; 贫血 (pín xuè) — Anemia.