背

2 readings · tap one to hear it

the back of a body or object; to turn one's back; to hide something from; to learn by heart; to recite from memory; (slang) unlucky; hard of hearing

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

⺼ meaning “flesh” + 北 sound ( běi )

Components 北⺼

back · Heisig RSH #455

part of the body + 北 north

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
背水一战	bèi shuǐ yī zhàn	lit. fight with one's back to the river (idiom); fig. to fight to win or die
背地里	bèi dì li	behind sb's back; secretly
点子背	diǎn zi bèi	(coll.) to have a stroke of bad luck
点儿背	diǎn r bèi	(dialect) to be out of luck
背山	bèi shān	with back to the mountain (favored location)
倒背手儿	dào bèi shǒu r	erhua variant of 倒背手[dao4 bei4 shou3]
背头	bēi tóu	swept-back hairstyle
背心	bèi xīn	sleeveless garment (vest, waistcoat, singlet, tank top etc); CL:件[jian4]
背地	bèi dì	secretly; in private; behind someone's back
马背	mǎ bèi	horse's back; (traditional Chinese architecture) roof with a low-slung curved ridgelines a…
背山临水	bèi shān lín shuǐ	with back to the mountain and facing the water (favored location)
面朝黄土背朝天	miàn cháo huáng tǔ bèi cháo tiān	face to the ground, back to the sky
手背	shǒu bèi	back of the hand
背气	bèi qì	to stop breathing (as a medical condition); (fig.) to pass out (in anger); to have a strok…
走背字儿	zǒu bèi zì r	erhua variant of 走背字[zou3 bei4 zi4]
背面	bèi miàn	the back; the reverse side; the wrong side
背德	bèi dé	immoral; unethical
背时	bèi shí	outdated; out of luck
背光	bèi guāng	to have direct light blocked; to face away from the light source; (electronics) backlight
点背	diǎn bèi	(dialect) to be out of luck

Characters sharing the sound component 北 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
北 sound part	běi	north; northern; northward
邶	bèi	a place in Henan province