卑

bēi
#2,055 most
frequent character
low, base, vulgar, inferior, humble

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

卑 bēi is a picture of a hand bearing a menial tool. That gave the first meaning. The meaning then grew to 'inferior', and later to 'modest, humble'.

Drawn as: hand carrying menial tool

卑 as a component in other characters

meaning2 characters
颦鼙
sound15 characters
牌碑脾啤俾稗捭睥萆鹎蜱郫埤陴痺
picture3 characters
婢髀庳

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Homophones

杯bēi
cup
碑bēi
monument, stele
悲bēi
sad, sadness, sorrow, grief
背bēi
to be burdened, to carry on the back or shoulder

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