. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
you have here. The definition of the word
will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Translingual
Han character
匹 (Kangxi radical 23, 匸+2, 4 strokes, cangjie input 尸金 (SC), four-corner 71711, composition ⿷匚儿(GJKV) or ⿷匸⿰丿㇄(HT))
Derived characters
References
- Kangxi Dictionary: page 154, character 36
- Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 2673
- Dae Jaweon: page 347, character 11
- Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 81, character 6
- Unihan data for U+5339
Chinese
Glyph origin
|
Old Chinese
|
匹
|
*pʰid
|
鴄
|
*pʰid
|
Uncertain. Shuowen considers it to be an ideogrammic compound (會意/会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲/形声, OC *pʰid) : phonetic 八 (OC *preːd, “eight”) + semantic 匸 (“to conceal”) – unit of measuring cloth. 八 refers to eight folds in one 匹 of cloth (two bolts of cloth), and 匸 refers to concealing the two ends of the cloth when rolling it up. This interpretation is not likely since the older forms evidently do not contain these components.
Various theories have been proposed based on the evidence from the bronze inscriptions:
- Pictogram (象形) of folds in cloth (Lin, 1920);
- Ideogram (指事) : half of 丙 (“two horses”) – one horse (Zhang et al., 1996), but the origin of the character 丙 is also uncertain (for example, it could be the tail of a fish);
- Phono-semantic compound (形聲/形声, OC *pʰid) : semantic 石 (“rock”) + phonetic 乙 (OC *qriɡ) or 乀 (MC phjut). The phonetic component may be replaced with 匕 (OC *pilʔ) (not shown above).
Etymology 1
Uncertain. Possibly related to Khmer ពីរ (pii, “two”) or Mizo phîr (“double; forked; twin”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Wang (1982) considers it to be cognate with 比 (OC *piʔ, “to compare; to match”), 媲 (OC *pʰiːs, “to match; to pair”).
The meaning “four zhang of cloth” is probably a special application, but it is reminiscent of Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-ləj (“four”) (ibid.).
Pronunciation 1
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
|
Character
|
匹
|
Reading #
|
1/1
|
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
|
pǐ
|
Middle Chinese
|
‹ phjit ›
|
Old Chinese
|
/*pʰi/
|
English
|
one of a pair
|
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
|
Zhengzhang system (2003)
|
Character
|
匹
|
Reading #
|
1/1
|
No.
|
9737
|
Phonetic component
|
匹
|
Rime group
|
質
|
Rime subdivision
|
1
|
Corresponding MC rime
|
匹
|
Old Chinese
|
/*pʰid/
|
Definitions
匹
- † to match; to be equal
- 匹配 ― pǐpèi ― to match
- 匹敵/匹敌 ― pǐdí ― to be equal
- † match; equal; opponent
- † mate; spouse
- † single; one
- † four zhang of cloth
- Classifier for bolts of cloth.
- 一匹布 ― yī pǐ bù ― a bolt of cloth
- (Sichuanese) Classifier for flat surfaces or objects (hillside, leaves, tiles, etc.).
- (Sichuanese) Classifier for long, thin objects (bones, feathers, grass, bamboo strips, etc.).
- (Sichuanese) Classifier for pieces or lumps (bricks, etc.).
- (Sichuanese) Classifier for mountains.
- a surname
Compounds
Pronunciation 2
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
|
Character
|
匹
|
Reading #
|
1/1
|
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
|
pǐ
|
Middle Chinese
|
‹ phjit ›
|
Old Chinese
|
/*pʰi/
|
English
|
one of a pair
|
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
|
Zhengzhang system (2003)
|
Character
|
匹
|
Reading #
|
1/1
|
No.
|
9737
|
Phonetic component
|
匹
|
Rime group
|
質
|
Rime subdivision
|
1
|
Corresponding MC rime
|
匹
|
Old Chinese
|
/*pʰid/
|
Definitions
匹
- Classifier for horses, donkeys, mules, etc.
- 一匹馬/一匹马 ― yī pǐ mǎ ― a horse
- 一匹斑馬/一匹斑马 ― yī pǐ bānmǎ ― a zebra
- 一匹狼 ― yī pǐ láng ― a wolf
- 一匹馬騾/一匹马骡 ― yī pǐ mǎluó ― a mule
- 一匹駱駝/一匹骆驼 ― yī pǐ luòtuó ― a camel
- 一匹騸馬/一匹骟马 ― yī pǐ shànmǎ ― a gelding
- 一匹騾子/一匹骡子 ― yī pǐ luózi ― a mule
- (dialectal, including Sichuanese) Classifier for animals.
阿Q沒有說完話,拔步便跑;追來的是一匹很肥大的黑狗。 [MSC, trad.]
阿Q没有说完话,拔步便跑;追来的是一匹很肥大的黑狗。 [MSC, simp.]- From: 1922, 魯迅 (Lu Xun), 阿Q正傳 (The True Story of Ah Q), translation from the Marxists Internet Archive
- Ā Q méiyǒu shuō wán huà, bábù biàn pǎo; zhuī lái de shì yī pǐ hěn féidà de hēi gǒu.
- Leaving his sentence unfinished, Ah Q took to his heels as fast as he could, followed by an enormously fat, black dog.
吱吱吱,一匹耗子在什麼暗角裡鳴叫。 [Sichuanese, trad.]
吱吱吱,一匹耗子在什么暗角里鸣叫。 [Sichuanese, simp.]- From: 1974, 克非 (Kefei), 春潮急
- Squeak squeak squeak, a mouse is squeaking in some dark corner.
- horsepower
張女士投訴稱,因為家裡一台一匹分體空調不製冷,以為是雪種不夠了,就花了100元加雪種,但是兩天之後又不製冷了。 [MSC, trad.]
张女士投诉称,因为家里一台一匹分体空调不制冷,以为是雪种不够了,就花了100元加雪种,但是两天之后又不制冷了。 [MSC, simp.]- From: 2007 August 3, 空调加雪种陷阱面面观, in 南方都市报
- Zhāng nǚshì tóusù chēng, yīnwèi jiālǐ yī tái yī pǐ fēntǐ kōngdiào bù zhìlěng, yǐwèi shì xuězhǒng bùgòu le, jiù huā le 100 yuán jiā xuězhǒng, dànshì liǎng tiān zhīhòu yòu bù zhìlěng le.
- Ms. Zhang filed a complaint, saying that because her house's one-horsepower split air conditioner was not blowing cold air, she thought there were not enough freons. She spent 100 yuan to add freons, but two days later it was not blowing cold air again.
- BTU (energy unit)
Synonyms
Dialectal synonyms of
匹 (“(classifier for horses)”)
Variety
|
Location
|
Words
|
Classical Chinese
|
匹
|
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)
|
匹
|
Mandarin
|
Beijing
|
匹, 隻
|
Taiwan
|
匹, 隻
|
Yantai (Muping)
|
匹
|
Jinan
|
匹
|
Luoyang
|
匹
|
Wanrong
|
匹
|
Xi'an
|
匹
|
Xining
|
匹
|
Ürümqi
|
匹
|
Wuhan
|
匹
|
Chengdu
|
匹
|
Guiyang
|
匹
|
Liuzhou
|
匹
|
Xuzhou
|
匹
|
Yangzhou
|
匹
|
Nanjing
|
匹
|
Hefei
|
匹
|
Cantonese
|
Guangzhou
|
匹, 隻
|
Hong Kong
|
匹, 隻
|
Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)
|
匹
|
Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)
|
匹
|
Hong Kong (Ting Kok)
|
條
|
Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)
|
條
|
Macau
|
隻
|
Guangzhou (Panyu)
|
隻
|
Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)
|
隻
|
Guangzhou (Conghua)
|
隻
|
Guangzhou (Zengcheng)
|
條, 匹
|
Foshan
|
隻
|
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)
|
隻
|
Foshan (Shunde)
|
隻
|
Foshan (Sanshui)
|
隻
|
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)
|
匹
|
Zhongshan (Shiqi)
|
隻
|
Zhuhai (Qianshan)
|
隻
|
Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka)
|
隻
|
Zhuhai (Doumen)
|
匹, 個
|
Jiangmen (Baisha)
|
隻
|
Jiangmen (Xinhui)
|
個
|
Taishan
|
個
|
Kaiping (Chikan)
|
個
|
Enping (Niujiang)
|
個
|
Heshan (Yayao)
|
隻
|
Dongguan
|
隻
|
Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)
|
隻
|
Yangjiang
|
匹
|
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)
|
匹
|
Gan
|
Nanchang
|
隻
|
Lichuan
|
隻
|
Pingxiang
|
匹
|
Hakka
|
Meixian
|
條
|
Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)
|
條
|
Dongguan (Qingxi)
|
條
|
Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)
|
條
|
Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)
|
條
|
Conghua (Lütian)
|
條, 匹
|
Yudu
|
匹
|
Hong Kong
|
隻
|
Senai (Huiyang)
|
條
|
Singkawang
|
條
|
Jin
|
Taiyuan
|
匹
|
Xinzhou
|
匹
|
Northern Min
|
Jian'ou
|
頭, 匹
|
Songxi
|
頭
|
Zhenghe
|
頭
|
Jianyang
|
頭
|
Wuyishan
|
頭
|
Pucheng (Shibei)
|
條
|
Eastern Min
|
Fuzhou
|
頭, 匹
|
Changle
|
頭
|
Fuqing
|
頭
|
Yongtai
|
頭
|
Gutian
|
頭
|
Fu'an
|
頭
|
Ningde
|
頭
|
Shouning
|
頭
|
Zhouning
|
頭
|
Fuding
|
頭
|
Southern Min
|
Xiamen
|
隻
|
Xiamen (Tong'an)
|
隻
|
Quanzhou
|
隻
|
Jinjiang
|
隻
|
Yongchun
|
隻
|
Tainan
|
匹
|
Manila (Hokkien)
|
隻
|
Datian
|
頭
|
Chaozhou
|
隻
|
Shantou
|
隻
|
Shantou (Chenghai)
|
隻
|
Haifeng
|
隻
|
Bangkok (Teochew)
|
隻, 匹
|
Johor Bahru (Teochew)
|
隻
|
Puxian Min
|
Putian
|
頭
|
Zhongshan Min
|
Shaxi (Longdu)
|
匹
|
Southern Pinghua
|
Nanning (Tingzi)
|
匹
|
Wu
|
Shanghai
|
匹
|
Suzhou
|
隻
|
Danyang
|
匹
|
Ningbo
|
匹
|
Wenzhou
|
頭
|
Jinhua
|
匹
|
Xiang
|
Changsha
|
匹, 隻
|
Loudi
|
匹
|
Shuangfeng
|
隻
|
Compounds
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Thai บาท (bàat, “baht”).
Pronunciation
Definitions
匹
- (Cantonese) baht; a Thai unit of currency
- 五百匹 [Cantonese] ― ng5 baak3 pat1 ― five hundred baht
Synonyms
Etymology 3
Pronunciation
Definitions
匹
- Used in transcription.
Compounds
Etymology 4
For pronunciation and definitions of 匹 – see 鴄 (“duck”). (This character is a variant form of 鴄). |
Japanese
Kanji
匹
(common “Jōyō” kanji)
Readings
Etymology
The original hichi reading evolved into hiki by association with 引き (hiki, “pulling”), from the way that an animal's leash is pulled.
Counter
匹 • (-hiki)
- small animals
- 犬が一匹います。
- Inu ga ippiki imasu.
- There is one dog.
- 猫三匹を飼っています。
- Neko sanbiki o katte imasu.
- I have three cats.
-
- 先生 いたべ⁉
- Sensei ita be⁉
- Are they in there, Sensei!?
おう!いたぞ。まっ白いメス犬がお産のまっさいちゅうだ。2~3匹うまれてるが、まだあと3匹ぐらいはうまれるな。- Ō! Ita zo. Masshiroi mesuinu ga o-san no massaichū da. Ni~sanbiki umareteru ga, mada ato sanbiki gurai wa umareru na.
- Yeah! There’s a white dog giving birth in there. 2 or 3 pups have come out but there’s probably 3 more to come.
白いメス犬⁉ひょっとすると…⁉ほら六三四、前に十一さよく白いノラ犬といっしょにあそんでいたでしょう。- Shiroi mesuinu⁉ Hyotto suru to…⁉ Hora Musashi, mae ni Toichi sa yoku shiroi norainu to issho ni asonde ita deshō.
- A white dog!? Could it be…!? Hey Musashi, you remember Toichi used to go stay with a white stray dog a while back?
うん‼- Un‼
- Yeah!!
きっと十一の子よ‼十一とあの白い犬との赤ちゃんよ!- Kitto Toichi no ko yo‼ Toichi to ano shiroi inu to no aka-chan yo!
- These must be Toichi’s puppies!! They’re Toichi and that white dog’s babies!
-
- 駆逐してやる‼この世から…一匹…残らず‼
- Kuchikushite yaru‼ Kono yo kara… ippiki… nokorazu‼
- I will wipe them out!! Every single one... of those pests... off the face of the earth!!
- rolls of cloth
- (historical) numbers of 銭 (sen)
Usage notes
- Depending on the preceding word, -hiki may change via rendaku to become -biki or -piki.
- The counter for larger animals, such as livestock, is usually 頭 (tō, literally “head”).
Alternative forms
References
- 2002, Yasuo Kitahara, 明鏡国語辞典 (Meikyō Kokugo Jiten), First Edition (in Japanese), Tokyo: Taishūkan Shoten, →ISBN
Korean
Hanja
匹 • (pil, mok) (hangeul 필, 목, revised pil, mok, McCune–Reischauer p'il, mok)
- This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text
{{rfdef}}
.
Vietnamese
Han character
匹: Hán Nôm readings: thất, sất, sơ, sớt, sứt, thớt
- This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text
{{rfdef}}
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