What does 朋 mean in Chinese?

朋 is a Chinese character with the radical 月.

How do you write 朋?

朋 is written with 8 strokes, starting from the 月 (meat) radical and following standard Chinese stroke order (top to bottom, left to right). See the interactive stroke-order tool for the full animation.

What is the radical of 朋?

The radical of 朋 is 月 (meat, Kangxi radical #130). Other common HSK characters using the same radical include 服, 能, 期, 有.

How many strokes does 朋 have?

The Chinese character 朋 has 8 strokes.

What HSK level is 朋?

On the new HSK exam syllabus, 朋 is a character to recognise at HSK 1.

朋: Chinese Character Details

朋

HSK 1 character 8 strokes Radical: 月 (meat)

Quick Answer

朋 is a Chinese character with 8 strokes, radical 月 (meat), HSK 1 on the new exam.

Full dictionary entry for 朋 →Animated stroke-order for 朋 →

Etymology

Oracle-bone origin

Oracle-bone 朋 depicts two strings of cowrie shells hanging side by side. Cowries were the standard currency of the Shang, strung in pairs of five, and 朋 was originally a unit of measure: one 朋 equalled two strings (usually ten shells total).

Form evolution

Bronze inscriptions preserve the two-strand pictograph clearly. Seal script regularised the strands into two vertical 月-like shapes side by side, and clerical and modern script fixed this as the doubled 月 form. The modern character 朋 is visually two 'moons' but historically has nothing to do with the moon; both halves are stylised cowrie strings.

How the meaning evolved

Because paired strings of shells were exchanged as gifts between equals, 朋 extended from 'paired currency unit' to 'a matched pair' and then to 'companion, peer, friend'. The monetary sense faded after bronze coinage replaced cowries, and by the classical period 朋 meant 'friend' almost exclusively, often paired with 友.

Cultural note

The opening line of the Analects, 有朋自遠方來,不亦樂乎, uses 朋 in its classical sense of like-minded peer rather than casual friend. Traditional commentary distinguishes 朋 (fellow students, same master) from 友 (shared moral aims).