便
pián HSK 5

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

这个商店很方便。
Zhège shāngdiàn hěn fāngbiàn.
This store is very convenient.
他需要去厕所方便。
Tā xūyào qù cèsuǒ fāngbiàn.
He needs to go to the toilet to relieve himself.
这个工具使用起来很便。
Zhège gōngjù shǐyòng qǐlái hěn biàn.
This tool is very convenient to use.
他饿了便吃。
Tā èle biàn chī.
He eats when hungry.
天黑了便回家。
Tiān hēile biàn huíjiā.
Go home when it gets dark.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of '便' as the 'convenient then'—it signals that something happens conveniently or naturally after a condition is met. Associate it with the word 'convenient' (which shares the character '便' in Chinese, as in '方便'), as it often marks a smooth, expected transition.

📝 Usage Notes

'便' is more common in written Chinese, particularly in formal, literary, or historical contexts, and is less frequent in casual spoken language where '就' is typically used instead. It often appears in narratives, classical texts, or structured explanations to denote chronological or logical progression.

📖 Grammar Points

'便' is commonly used in conditional or sequential structures, such as '一...便...' (as soon as... then...) to express immediate action, or after clauses with '既然' (since) or '如果' (if) to show the resulting action. It typically precedes the verb in a sentence.

🏯 Cultural Notes

In classical Chinese literature and historical texts, '便' is frequently used to convey elegance and conciseness. Its continued use in modern writing reflects a stylistic choice to add a formal or traditional nuance, so learners may encounter it in novels, news articles, or academic prose.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to '就' (jiù), which is more versatile and colloquial, '便' has a more formal and literary tone. Both can mean 'then,' but '便' often implies a stronger sense of immediacy or natural consequence, while '就' can also indicate emphasis, restriction, or approximation.

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