Chinese words starting with “bei”
33 words in our HSK vocabulary start with the syllable bei. They are sorted by how common they are, so the ones you are most likely to meet come first. The 7 most useful of them have their own page — they are listed first below.
Initial b · final ei · hear the four tones and see example characters →
- 1st tone 11
- 3rd tone 2
- 4th tone 20
Word counts by tone are counted on the first syllable of each word.
Common words with this syllable
- 背后bèi hòuHSK 3
behind; at the back; in the rear; behind sb's back
- 北京běi jīngHSK 1
Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China
- 北方běi fāngHSK 2
north; the northern part a country; China north of the Yellow River
- 北部běi bùHSK 3
northern part
- 杯子bēi ziHSK 1
cup; glass
- 被子bèi ziHSK 3
quilt
- 北边běi biānHSK 1
north; north side; northern part; to the north of
All 33 words
| # | Word | Pinyin | POS | Meaning | Study list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 被 | bèi | p,g,d | quilt; to cover (with); (literary) to suffer (a misfortune); used to indicate passive voice (placed before the doer of the action like "by" in English passive-voice sentences, or, if the doer is not mentioned, before the verb); (since c. 2009) (sarcastic or jocular) used to indicate that the following word should be regarded as being in air quotes (as in 被旅游 to "go on a trip", for example) | |
| 2 | 杯 | bēi | q,g | cup; trophy cup; classifier for certain containers of liquids: glass, cup | |
| 3 | 倍 | bèi | q,d | (two, three etc) -fold; times (multiplier); double; to increase or multiply | |
| 4 | 背 | bèi | v,n | the back of a body or object; to turn one's back; to hide something from; to learn by heart; to recite from memory; unlucky (slang); hard of hearing | |
| 5 | 北 | běi | f | north; (classical) to be defeated | |
| 6 | 背景 | bèi jǐng | n | background; backdrop; context; (fig.) powerful backer | |
| 7 | 被告 | bèi gào | n | defendant | |
| 8 | 悲剧 | bēi jù | n | tragedy | |
| 9 | 悲伤 | bēi shāng | a,an | sad; sorrowful | |
| 10 | 被迫 | bèi pò | d | to be compelled; to be forced | |
| 11 | 背叛 | bèi pàn | v,vn | to betray | |
| 12 | 悲哀 | bēi āi | an,a | grieved; sorrowful | |
| 13 | 被捕 | bèi bǔ | v,vn | to be arrested; under arrest | |
| 14 | 备用 | bèi yòng | vn,v | reserve; spare; alternate; backup | |
| 15 | 悲惨 | bēi cǎn | a | miserable; tragic | |
| 16 | 背包 | bēi bāo | n | knapsack; rucksack; infantry pack; field pack; blanket roll | |
| 17 | 备受 | bèi shòu | v | to fully experience (good or bad) | |
| 18 | 被动 | bèi dòng | a,ad | passive | |
| 19 | 背着 | bèi zhe | v | turning one's back to (sth or sb); keeping sth secret from (sb); keeping (one's hands) behind one's back | |
| 20 | 悲痛 | bēi tòng | an,a | grieved; sorrowful | |
| 21 | 背心 | bèi xīn | n | sleeveless garment (vest, waistcoat, singlet, tank top etc) | |
| 22 | 背面 | bèi miàn | f | the back; the reverse side; the wrong side | |
| 23 | 辈 | bèi | n,q | lifetime; generation; group of people; class; classifier for generations; (literary) classifier for people | |
| 24 | 悲观 | bēi guān | a,ad | pessimistic | |
| 25 | 卑鄙 | bēi bǐ | a | base; mean; contemptible; despicable | |
| 26 | 备忘录 | bèi wàng lù | n | memorandum; aide-memoire; memorandum book | |
| 27 | 备份 | bèi fèn | n | backup | |
| 28 | 北极 | běi jí | n,ns | the North Pole; the Arctic Pole; the north magnetic pole | |
| 29 | 贝壳 | bèi ké | n | shell; conch; cowry; mother of pearl; hard outer skin; also pr. [bèi qiào] | |
| 30 | 碑 | bēi | n | a monument; an upright stone tablet; stele | |
| 31 | 背诵 | bèi sòng | v | to recite; to repeat from memory | |
| 32 | 备课 | bèi kè | v | (of a teacher) to prepare lessons | |
| 33 | 悲欢离合 | bēi huān lí hé | l | joys and sorrows; partings and reunions; the vicissitudes of life |
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