陪

péi

咅 + 阝

HSK 2.0Level 4

HSK 3.0Level 4

Definitions

péi (verb) to accompany; to keep company

péi (verb) to assist

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 咅 represents the sound.

Semantic: 阝 Phonetic: 咅

About

陪 is a phonosemantic compound: the left radical 阝 derives from 阜 ('mound, earthen hill'), signaling a connection to terrain or elevated structures, while the right component 咅 provides the sound. Its original meaning was adding earth to a hill, thereby helping to build it up. This concrete act of physical support broadened into the abstract notion of offering aid or serving as an auxiliary, particularly to someone of higher status. Over time, the meaning shifted to the now common sense of accompanying, keeping company, or assisting in a secondary role.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我陪你回家。

Wǒ péi nǐ huí jiā.

I'll accompany you home.

妈妈陪我去学校。

Māma péi wǒ qù xuéxiào.

Mom accompanies me to school.

周末我经常陪孩子玩。

Zhōumò wǒ jīngcháng péi háizi wán.

I often play with my children on weekends.

他耐心地陪客户参观工厂。

Tā nàixīn de péi kèhù cānguān gōngchǎng.

He patiently accompanied the client to tour the factory.

她生病时，朋友们轮流陪她。

Tā shēngbìng shí, péngyounen lúnliú péi tā.

When she was sick, her friends took turns keeping her company.

感谢你这么多年一直陪伴着我。

Gǎnxiè nǐ zhème duō nián yīzhí péibàn zhe wǒ.

Thank you for accompanying me all these years.

总经理将亲自陪同外宾考察。

Zǒng jīnglǐ jiāng qīnzì péitóng wàibīn kǎochá.

The general manager will personally accompany the foreign guests on the inspection.

作为他的陪同人员，我必须全程在场。

Zuòwéi tā de péitóng rényuán, wǒ bìxū quánchéng zàichǎng.

As his accompanying personnel, I must be present for the entire duration.

Related Characters

Component: 咅

Component: 阝

陪