别 (bié) is a Chinese character meaning “other”. It is written from 另 (another; separate) and 刂 (knife (side form)), side by side, and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “other; don't”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
另 + 刂
Left–right structure
Structure from: modern-glyph decomposition (IDS ⿰另刂; 另 = ⿱口力), cross-checked against hanzi-writer-data stroke counts 5+2=7
Memory aid
A knife (刂) on the right sets one thing apart as another (另) one. Both parts really are in this character: 别 is what you get when something is cut off from the rest — other, separate, or "don't".
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 别人bié rénother people; others别 = biéHSK 2
- 特别tè biéespecially; special别 = biéHSK 3
- 个别gè biéindividual; exceptional别 = bié
- 识别shí biéto identify; to recognize; to distinguish别 = bié
- 差别chā biédifference; distinction别 = bié
Go deeper
All readings
other; don't
other; another; to separate or distinguish; don't (in commands)
另外的、不同的；分开、区分；用在动词前表示劝阻，相当于「不要」。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 别人bié rénother people; others别 = biéHSK 2
- 特别tè biéespecially; special别 = biéHSK 3
- 个别gè biéindividual; exceptional别 = bié
- 识别shí biéto identify; to recognize; to distinguish别 = bié
- 差别chā biédifference; distinction别 = bié
Rare readings, not taught: biè
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 别 mean?
别 (bié) means other; another; to separate or distinguish; don't (in commands).
How do you pronounce 别?
It is pronounced bié.
What parts is 别 made of?
另 (another; separate) and 刂 (knife (side form)), side by side. The recorded source is: modern-glyph decomposition (IDS ⿰另刂; 另 = ⿱口力), cross-checked against hanzi-writer-data stroke counts 5+2=7. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 别 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 别?
刀. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 别?
Common ones are 别人 and 特别. The reading of 别 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.