配 (pèi) is a Chinese character meaning “to match”. It is written from 酉 (wine jar; the tenth earthly branch) and 己 (oneself), side by side, and takes 10 strokes.
Build the character for “to match; to pair”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
酉 + 己
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字: 配，酒色也。从酉，妃省聲 (modern form ⿰酉己 checked against hanzi-writer-data strokes 0–6 / 7–9)
Memory aid
Pour from the wine jar (酉) for yourself (己), then pour a matching cup for your partner — drinks in pairs: to match, to pair up.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
10 strokes
In real words
- 配合pèi héto cooperate; to coordinate配 = pèi
- 分配fēn pèito distribute; to allocate; to assign配 = pèi
- 匹配pǐ pèito match; to pair up配 = pèi
- 搭配dā pèito pair up; to match; to go together配 = pèi
Go deeper
All readings
to match; to pair
to match; to pair; to fit together; to distribute; to be worthy of
两者相合、搭配；按需要分派；够得上、相称。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 配合pèi héto cooperate; to coordinate配 = pèi
- 分配fēn pèito distribute; to allocate; to assign配 = pèi
- 匹配pǐ pèito match; to pair up配 = pèi
- 搭配dā pèito pair up; to match; to go together配 = pèi
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 配 mean?
配 (pèi) means to match; to pair; to fit together; to distribute; to be worthy of.
How do you pronounce 配?
It is pronounced pèi.
What parts is 配 made of?
酉 (wine jar; the tenth earthly branch) and 己 (oneself), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字: 配，酒色也。从酉，妃省聲 (modern form ⿰酉己 checked against hanzi-writer-data strokes 0–6 / 7–9). Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 配 have?
10. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 配?
酉. 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 配?
Common ones are 配合 and 分配. The reading of 配 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.