HSK 3.0 Level 1 · Places
边 biān “side” in Chinese
Traditional 邊
What 边 means
- side
- edge
- margin
- border
- boundary
More meanings from CC-CEDICT
- simultaneously
Measure word 个 gè · 一个边 yí ge biān
How to say 边
边biān1st tone, high and level
边 in a sentence
How 边 is built
Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.

边biānside
- 力strength · lì
- 辶walking form of 辵 · chuòMeaning part
Memory aidWalk 辶 with all your strength 力 to reach the edge: side, edge.
How to write 边
边 5 strokes
Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.

Words related to 边
Words with 边
那边nàbian · over there外边wàibian · outside这边zhèbiān · this side旁边pángbiān · side右边yòubian · right side左边zuǒbian · left side一边yìbiān · one side身边shēnbiān · at one’s side路边lùbiān · roadside边疆biānjiāng · border region
More words: Places & Getting Around
FAQs
边 (biān) means “side” or “edge”. It is an HSK 3.0 Level 1 word.
Say it biān: biān with a 1st tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
In Traditional characters, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, 边 is written 邊. The pronunciation is the same.
Use 个 (gè). For example, one side is 一个边 (yí ge biān).
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type bian with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 边 from the suggestions. Typing bian into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
边 is an HSK 3.0 Level 1 word in the official 2021 syllabus, and it is on our HSK 3.0 Band 1 word list. It is not on the older HSK 2.0 word lists.
Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.