别

別
bié
HSK 2
#222 most
frequent character
to leave, to depart, to separate
verb
adverb

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

别 joins 另, a form of 冎 bones, with 刂 knife. That gives the first meaning, 'cutting meat off bone'. From there it grew to 'separate', 'differentiate', 'moreover', and 'leave'. The sense 'not' was borrowed only for the sound.

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Example Sentences

请别走，等我一下。
qǐng bié zǒu ， děng wǒ yīxià 。
Please don't go, wait for me for a moment.
我别的事情还没做完。
wǒ biéde shìqíng huán méi zuòwán 。
I have other things that I haven't finished yet.
别担心，一切都会好起来的。
bié dānxīn ， yīqiēdū huì hǎo qǐlái de 。
Don't worry, everything will be fine.

Grammar Points

HSK 2
Expressing "stop doing" with "bie… le"别…了
HSK 2
Negative commands with "bie"

Same Characters, Different Readings

别biè
to make sb change their ways, opinions etc

Words with similar meanings

离开líkāi
to leave
More formal, often used in situations of departure, similar to '别' when implying leaving.
不要búyào
do not
Used to indicate negation; it can convey the same sense of 'do not' as in '别' in certain contexts.

Words Starting With 别

别人bié ren
other people; others; other person
别墅bié shù
"villa
别致bié zhì
unusual; unique

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Public Lists with 别

Common Communication Phrases
Polite expressions, apologies, congratulatory phrases, and casual chat.
HSK 2
All words for the HSK 2 test
Basic Verbs
Core action verbs like 'go,' 'come,' 'eat,' 'see,' commonly encountered in HSK.