别 (bié) means "do not" with 7 strokes, radical 刂 (knife), HSK 2 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: do not
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
别 is a phono-semantic compound and does not have a simple pictographic origin. The left side 另 (earlier written with a bone 冎 component) gives the idea of separating flesh from bone, while the right side 刂 is the knife radical, reinforcing the cutting action. Early seal forms show the bone shape more clearly than the modern 另.
Form evolution
Seal script shows the bone component on the left with a knife on the right. Clerical script simplified the bone element into the current 另 shape, losing the visual link to bones. The modern 楷书 form 别 is stable across simplified and traditional writing, though some older dictionaries list 別 with a slightly different left element.
How the meaning evolved
The original sense of cutting flesh from bone extended to 'separate' and 'part from', as in 告别 (bid farewell) and 分别 (part ways, or 'respectively'). From separation came the sense of 'distinguish' (区别, 辨别) and then 'other' or 'different' (别的, 别人). The common imperative usage 别去 (don't go) is a much later colloquial development, shortened from 不要.
Cultural note
The prohibitive 别 (don't) is one of the first uses learners meet, but it is historically a contraction of 不要 and unrelated to the 'separate' meaning. Keeping the two senses mentally linked as 'set apart / keep apart from doing' helps some learners, though they are etymologically only loosely connected.
Mnemonic
A mouth and force with a blade — don't, separate
Decomposition
Breaking a character into its components makes it far easier to recall. Each component above links to its own detail page.
Basic info
| Pinyin | bié |
| Meanings | do not |
| Stroke count | 7 strokes |
| Radical | 刂 (#18: knife) |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 2 |
| Frequency | #67 most common |
Example sentences
Words containing 别
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 别 | bié | do not | HSK 2 |
| 别人 | biéren | Others | HSK 3 |
| 特别 | tèbié | Especially | HSK 3 |
| 区别 | qūbié | Difference | HSK 4 |
| 性别 | xìngbié | Gender | HSK 4 |
| 告别 | gàobié | farewell | HSK 5 |
| 分别 | fēnbié | part | HSK 5 |
| 个别 | gèbié | individual | HSK 5 |
| 辨别 | biànbié | to distinguish, to differentiate | HSK 7-9 |
| 别扭 | bièniu | awkward, difficult | HSK 7-9 |
| 别墅 | biéshù | villa | HSK 7-9 |
| 别致 | biézhì | unique, unconventional | HSK 7-9 |
| 差别 | chābié | difference, discrepancy | HSK 5 |
| 辞别 | cíbié | to take leave of | |
| 各别 | gèbié | distinct, unusual |
Related characters
Similar meaning (abstract)
On the new HSK 2 exam
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Frequently Asked Questions
Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.