牌

pái
卑 + 片
HSK 3.0Level 4

Definitions

pái (noun) signboard; billboard; plate; tablet
pái (noun) playing card; mahjong tile; game piece
pái (noun) medal; badge

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 片 represents the meaning and 卑 represents the sound.

Semantic: 片 Phonetic: 卑

About

牌 is a phonosemantic compound: the left side is the wood radical 片, indicating the material, and the right side is 卑 (meaning 'low' or 'inferior'), which serves as the phonetic component. It originally denoted a wooden board or flat plank used for inscriptions and public notices. Its use expanded to many flat, rigid objects, such as signboards, placards, playing cards, dominoes, and identification tags. Today it broadly refers to brands, commercial labels, and gaming cards of all kinds.

Example Sentences Hide

我喜欢那个牌子。

Wǒ xǐhuān nàge páizi.

I like that brand.

车牌需要清洗。

Chēpái xūyào qīngxǐ.

The license plate needs cleaning.

商店门口有门牌。

Shāngdiàn ménkǒu yǒu ménpái.

There is a house number plate at the shop entrance.

他打牌打得很好。

Tā dǎ pái dǎ de hěn hǎo.

He plays cards very well.

广告牌上写着新闻。

Guǎnggàopái shàng xiězhe xīnwén.

The billboard has news written on it.

我们公司申请了新牌照。

Wǒmen gōngsī shēnqǐng le xīn páizhào.

Our company applied for a new license.

这张牌在游戏中很重要。

Zhè zhāng pái zài yóuxì zhōng hěn zhòngyào.

This card is very important in the game.

环保部门检查了车辆的排污牌照。

Huánbǎo bùmén jiǎnchá le chēliàng de páiwū páizhào.

The environmental protection department inspected the vehicle's emission license.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

簰

Component: 卑

碑 脾 啤 婢 俾 裨 颦 稗 鼙 捭 髀 睥 萆 鹎

Component: 片

片 版 牒 牍 牖 魸 牋 牎 牏 牐 牓 牕 牘

Example Words

品牌 打牌 名牌 大牌 底牌 广告牌 招牌 扑克牌 洗牌 牌坊 牌型 牌子 牌局 牌照 王牌 玩牌 登机牌 盾牌 红牌 路牌 车牌 金牌 银牌 铜牌