HSK 5 · Ideas

比例 bǐlì “proportion” in Chinese

Same in Traditional

What 比例 means

  1. proportion
  2. scale

How to say 比例

  • Pitch chart of the third tone: dips low then rises, 2 to 1 to 4 on the five-level scale比bǐ3rd tone, dipping
  • Pitch chart of the fourth tone: falls from high to low, 5 to 1 on the five-level scale例lì4th tone, falling

比例 in a sentence

  1. 这所大学男女学生的比例是一比一。

    Zhè suǒ dàxué nánnǚ xuésheng de bǐlì shì yì bǐ yī.

    At this university, the ratio of male to female students is one to one.

    Sentence by WillyChina

  2. 这张地图的比例是一比一万。

    Zhè zhāng dìtú de bǐlì shì yì bǐ yí wàn.

    This map has a scale of one to ten thousand.

    Sentence by WillyChina

How 比例 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.

The character 比 (bǐ) with each of its parts in a different colour
比bǐto compare
  • 匕spoon · bǐ
  • 匕spoon · bǐ

Memory aidTwo people 匕 side by side: to compare.

The character 例 (lì) with each of its parts in a different colour
例lìexample
  • 亻person form of 人 · rénMeaning part
  • 列a line · lièSound part

亻 hints at the meaning (person); 列 (liè) hints at the sound. Compare it with lì.

How to write 比例

比 4 strokes · 例 8 strokes

Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.

比例 (bǐlì) stroke order chart: each stroke of the characters in the order you write them
Stroke order chart for 比例 (bǐlì). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.

Words related to 比例

Words with 比

Words with 例

More words: Ideas & Concepts

FAQs

比例 (bǐlì) means “proportion” or “scale”. It is an HSK 5 word.
Say it bǐlì: bǐ with a 3rd tone, then lì with a 4th tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
Yes. 比例 is written the same way in Simplified and Traditional characters.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type bili with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 比例 from the suggestions. Typing bili into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
比例 is an HSK 5 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.

Turn words into conversations

A dictionary gives you the words. A native teacher shows you how to use them. Start with a free 30-minute intro call.

Book a free intro call

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 written by WillyChina. Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.