Learn a Chinese Character - 皆

1. Character Basics

Radical: 白/bái (bái radical, meaning white)

Stroke Count: 9

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jiē (first tone)

3. Meaning

All; both; entirely; every; completely; altogether; each and every

4. Common Words

• 皆大欢喜 (jiē dà huān xǐ) - everyone is happy, all are delighted

  我们的项目成功了，大家皆大欢喜。

  Our project succeeded, and everyone is happy.

• 比比皆是 (bǐ bǐ jiē shì) - can be found everywhere, common

  在这个城市，高楼大厦比比皆是。

  In this city, high-rise buildings can be seen everywhere.

• 全民皆知 (quán mín jiē zhī) - known to all the people

  这个消息已经全民皆知了。

  This news is already known to all the people.

• 皆有可能 (jiē yǒu kě néng) - everything is possible

  在这个时代，一切皆有可能。

  In this era, everything is possible.

• 人人皆知 (rén rén jiē zhī) - known to everyone

  这是人人皆知的事实。

  This is a fact known to everyone.

• 四大皆空 (sì dà jiē kōng) - all four elements are empty (Buddhist concept)

  佛教中讲四大皆空。

  Buddhism teaches that all four elements are empty.

5. Grammar & Usage

The character 皆 is primarily used as an adverb with specific grammatical patterns:

• As an adverb meaning "all" or "entirely":

  Used before verbs or adjectives to indicate that the action or state applies to all subjects

  Example: 学生皆已到场。 (All students have already arrived.)

• In literary or formal contexts:

  More commonly used in written Chinese, literary works, or formal speech rather than casual conversation

  In everyday speech, 都 (dōu) is often used instead

• In set phrases and idioms:

  Most frequently encountered in fixed expressions and idioms

  Examples: 皆大欢喜 (jiē dà huān xǐ) - everyone is happy, 比比皆是 (bǐ bǐ jiē shì) - can be found everywhere

• In the structure "XX皆Y":

  Where XX is the subject and Y is the predicate

  Example: 众人皆醉 (zhòng rén jiē zuì) - everyone is drunk

• In classical Chinese:

  More common in ancient texts, often used to express universal truths

  Example: 人皆有之 (rén jiē yǒu zhī) - everyone has it

皆 is an important character for expressing universality and completeness in Chinese, particularly in formal or literary contexts.

6. Cultural Background

The character 皆 has significant cultural implications in Chinese society:

• In Confucian philosophy, 皆 is used to express universal human qualities, as in "人皆可以为尧舜" (rén jiē kě yǐ wéi Yáo Shùn) - "Everyone can become like Yao and Shun" (sage kings).
• In Buddhist teachings, the concept of 皆空 (jiē kōng) or "all is emptiness" is fundamental to understanding the nature of reality.
• The idiom 皆大欢喜 (jiē dà huān xǐ) is commonly used in Chinese culture to wish happiness for everyone, especially in celebratory occasions.
• Classical Chinese literature frequently uses 皆 to convey universal truths and observations about human nature.
• In traditional Chinese thought, 皆 reflects the belief in shared humanity and the potential for all people to achieve virtue.
• Modern usage of 皆 continues to emphasize inclusivity and universality, though it is often replaced by 都 (dōu) in everyday conversation.

The character 皆 thus carries cultural significance related to universalism, shared human experience, and the pursuit of collective happiness in Chinese thought and expression.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character 皆 (jiē) can be broken down into two parts:

• The upper part is 比 (bǐ), which means "compare" or "ratio".
• The lower part is 白 (bái), which is the radical and means "white".

To remember this character:

1. Associate the upper component 比 with the idea of "comparison" or "all together".
2. Note that the lower component 白 is the radical, which helps with categorization.
3. Practice writing the character several times, focusing on the correct stroke order: first the 比 part on top, then the 白 part below.
4. Connect the character to its most common idiom 皆大欢喜 (jiē dà huān xǐ), which means "everyone is happy" - imagine everyone (all) being happy together.
5. Remember that 皆 and 都 (dōu) have similar meanings, but 皆 is more formal and often used in written Chinese or idioms.
6. Use mnemonics: You could think of "比白" (bǐ bái) as "comparing whiteness" and extend that to "all are white" or "all are the same" to remember the meaning "all" or "entirely" for 皆.