俾

bǐ

亻 + 卑

Definitions

bǐ to cause; to enable; phonetic bi; Taiwan pr. [bì]

Etymology phono-semantic

Phonetic: 卑

About

俾 is a phono-semantic compound: the semantic radical 亻 (person) is on the left, and the phonetic component 卑 is on the right. Historically, it functioned as a classical Chinese grammatical particle or verb meaning to cause, make, or enable someone to do something, or to bring about a certain state. Because of its formal, literary register, it is rarely used in modern spoken Chinese, appearing almost exclusively in written documents, official decrees, and classical idioms to express purpose or causality, much like the English "so that" or "in order to".

Etymology Hide

Bronze Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

阳光俾使植物生长。

Yángguāng bǐshǐ zhíwù shēngzhǎng.

Sunlight enables plants to grow.

努力俾使人成功。

Nǔlì bǐshǐ rén chénggōng.

Hard work enables people to succeed.

这个政策俾益于经济发展。

Zhège zhèngcè bǐyì yú jīngjì fāzhǎn.

This policy benefits economic development.

教育俾使社会进步。

Jiàoyù bǐshǐ shèhuì jìnbù.

Education promotes social progress.

科技发展俾我们的生活更便利。

Kējì fāzhǎn bǐ wǒmen de shēnghuó gèng biànlì.

Technological development makes our lives more convenient.

他的建议俾使项目顺利进行。

Tā de jiànyì bǐshǐ xiàngmù shùnlì jìnxíng.

His suggestion enables the project to proceed smoothly.

通过改革俾国家更加强大。

Tōngguò gǎigé bǐ guójiā gèngjiā qiángdà.

Through reform, the country is made stronger.

政府颁布法律俾保障公民权利。

Zhèngfǔ bānbù fǎlǜ bǐ bǎozhàng gōngmín quánlì.

The government promulgates laws to safeguard citizens' rights.

Related Characters

Component: 亻

Component: 卑

俾