Chinese word

碑

Pronunciation

Pinyinbēi

Meaning

  • nounstone tablet

Example

公园里有一块石碑。gōng yuán lǐ yǒu yí kuài shí bēi

There is a stone tablet in the park.

Illustration for 碑 (stone tablet)

More examples

工地发现了多块破碎的碑，需要修复。gōng dì fā xiàn le duō kuài pò suì de bēi xū yào xiū fù

Several broken stone tablets were found at the construction site and need to be restored.

Core concept

A lasting message cut into stone and set up as a marker for memory, honor, or burial.

Common phrases

  • 纪念碑jì niàn bēi

    memorial monument

  • 碑刻bēi kè

    stone inscription

  • 刻在碑上kè zài bēi shàng

    carve on a stone tablet

Similar words

石碑shí bēi: An upright stone tablet bearing carved writing or images.
纪念碑jì niàn bēi: A large memorial structure made to keep the memory of a person or event alive.
碑文bēi wén: An inscription carved into the surface of a stone tablet.
墓碑mù bēi: An engraved stone set beside a grave to record the deceased person's name and dates.

Definition in Chinese

用石头制成并刻有文字的标牌或纪念物，常用于纪念事件、颂扬人物或作为墓地标志。yòng shí tou zhì chéng bìng kè yǒu wén zì de biāo pái huò jì niàn wù cháng yòng yú jì niàn shì jiàn sòng yáng rén wù huò zuò wéi mù dì biāo zhì

Word origin

The character 碑 (bēi, "stone tablet") combines 石 (shí, "stone") for its meaning with 卑 (bēi, "low") for its sound, linking the written form to an inscribed stone object.

Usage tips

  • The first-tone sound bēi is also heard in 杯 (bēi, "cup"), so context rather than sound alone distinguishes a stone marker from a drinking vessel.

Other meanings

  • memorial monumentnoun
  • tombstonenoun

Related words

  • 碑刻bēi kèstone inscriptionnoun
  • 碑帖bēi tièinscription rubbingnoun

Word lists with this word