bǐng

third

Original meaning: 

pedestal

Depicts a platform to put things on. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Evolution

丙 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
丙 Bronze script Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze script

Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
丙 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
丙 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
丙 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

bǐng

third; 3rd heavenly stem; third of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shí​tiān​gān]; third in order; letter "C" or Roman "III" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc; ancient Chinese compass point: 165°; propyl

Most common words with 丙
Freq.
Word
Meaning

propyl

丙烷

propane

丙酮

acetone CH3COCH

丙烯酸

acrylic acid C3H4O2

聚丙烯

polypropylene

Component uses

Sound component in 8 characters (5 verified)

Iconic component in 1 character (1 verified)

Unknown component in 2 characters (1 verified)

Historical pronunciation

Old Chinese

Middle Chinese

Pinyin

Gloss

*praŋʔ

pjaengX

bǐng

3d heavenly stem


Statistics

Not found in HSK word list

Appears in 1.7299% of movies

2872nd most common character in movies

2645th most common character in books

Miscellaneous

Strokes

5

Unicode

U+4E19

Shuowen

“丙,位南方,萬物成炳然。陰气初起,陽气將虧,从一入冂。一者,陽也。丙承乙,象人肩。”


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