piān: 篇 - Piece (of writing), Chapter, Measure Word

• Keywords: 篇, pian, measure word for writing, Chinese classifier, chapter in Chinese, piece of writing in Chinese, 一篇文章, 这篇, 量词, measure word for article, Chinese grammar
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 篇 (piān), a fundamental Chinese measure word used for written works like articles, essays, and reports. This page breaks down its usage, from counting academic papers (一篇论文) to referring to a specific blog post (这篇博客). Learn why 篇 (piān) is more than just a counter—it's a window into the structure of Chinese language and its historical relationship with writing, making it essential for any student or professional engaging with Chinese texts.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): piān
• Part of Speech: Measure Word (Classifier), Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: A measure word for articles, papers, and pages; also means a piece of writing or a chapter.
• In a Nutshell: 篇 (piān) is the go-to word in Chinese when you need to count or refer to a complete piece of writing. Think of it as “piece” or “article” in English, but used as a mandatory grammatical counter. If you read an essay, you read “一篇文章” (yī piān wénzhāng). It's the default classifier for almost any self-contained text that isn't a book.

• 竹 (zhú): The top part is the “bamboo” radical. This is the most important clue to the character's origin, as ancient Chinese texts were written on slips of bamboo tied together.
• 扁 (biǎn): The bottom part means “flat” and also provides the phonetic sound for the character.

These two components paint a clear picture: a “flat” bundle of “bamboo” slips, which represented a document or a section of a larger work. So, 篇 (piān) is a linguistic fossil from the age of bamboo scrolls, which has evolved to mean a “piece of writing” in the modern era.

The existence and mandatory use of 篇 (piān) highlights a key structural difference between Chinese and English. In English, we can say “I read an article.” The word “an” is a general article. In Chinese, you must choose a specific classifier or measure word that matches the noun: “我读了一篇文章” (Wǒ dúle yī piān wénzhāng). This isn't just a grammatical quirk; it reflects a worldview that categorizes objects by their nature, shape, or function. While English might use “a piece of paper,” “a slice of bread,” or “a herd of cattle,” Chinese integrates this classification system directly into its core grammar for nearly all nouns. 篇 (piān), with its connection to bamboo slips, carries a subtle literary and scholarly weight. It’s not just a counter; it’s a counter specifically for composed thought. Using 篇 (piān) correctly shows a level of linguistic refinement and respect for the written word. It’s a small but significant signal that you understand how to talk about knowledge and information in a culturally appropriate way.

As a Measure Word (Most Common Usage): This is the primary function of 篇 (piān). It is used to count or specify individual written works.

• For articles: 一篇文章 (yī piān wénzhāng)
• For academic papers/theses: 一篇论文 (yī piān lùnwén)
• For reports: 一篇报告 (yī piān bàogào)
• For news stories: 一篇新闻 (yī piān xīnwén)
• For blog posts: 一篇博客 (yī piān bókè)
• For short stories: 一篇小说 (yī piān xiǎoshuō)

As a Noun: Less common in daily conversation but found in more formal or literary contexts.

• Chapter/Part: It can refer to a major section of a work, like a film or a long book. For example, “上篇” (shàng piān) for the “first part” and “下篇” (xià piān) for the “second part”.
• Metaphorical Chapter: It is used in the set phrase 篇章 (piānzhāng), which means “chapter” in a literal or metaphorical sense. For example, “开启新的篇章” (kāiqǐ xīn de piānzhāng) means “to start a new chapter” in life or history.

The connotation is generally neutral and formal. It’s the standard, correct word to use in both spoken and written Chinese.

• Example 1:
• 老师让我写一篇五百字的作文。
• Pinyin: Lǎoshī ràng wǒ xiě yī piān wǔbǎi zì de zuòwén.
• English: The teacher asked me to write a 500-word essay.
• Analysis: A classic example of 篇 used as a measure word for a school assignment (作文 - zuòwén).
• Example 2:
• 这篇文章的观点很新颖。
• Pinyin: Zhè piān wénzhāng de guāndiǎn hěn xīnyǐng.
• English: This article's viewpoint is very novel.
• Analysis: Here, 篇 is used with 这 (zhè) to mean “this” specific article, demonstrating its role as a specifier.
• Example 3:
• 他在著名的科学期刊上发表了两篇论文。
• Pinyin: Tā zài zhùmíng de kēxué qīkān shàng fābiǎole liǎng piān lùnwén.
• English: He published two papers in a famous scientific journal.
• Analysis: Shows 篇 being used to count a specific number (两 - liǎng) of academic papers (论文 - lùnwén).
• Example 4:
• 你读了那篇关于中国经济的报道吗？
• Pinyin: Nǐ dúle nà piān guānyú Zhōngguó jīngjì de bàodào ma?
• English: Did you read that report about the Chinese economy?
• Analysis: Using 那 (nà) with 篇 to specify “that” report.
• Example 5:
• 这部纪录片分为上下两篇。
• Pinyin: Zhè bù jìlùpiàn fēn wéi shàng xià liǎng piān.
• English: This documentary is divided into a first and second part.
• Analysis: Here, 篇 is used as a noun to mean “part” or “volume.”
• Example 6:
• 他的演讲开启了我们公司历史的新篇章。
• Pinyin: Tā de yǎnjiǎng kāiqǐle wǒmen gōngsī lìshǐ de xīn piānzhāng.
• English: His speech started a new chapter in our company's history.
• Analysis: A metaphorical use within the common word 篇章 (piānzhāng), meaning “chapter.”
• Example 7:
• 我每天都会在网上看几篇新闻。
• Pinyin: Wǒ měitiān dūhuì zài wǎngshàng kàn jǐ piān xīnwén.
• English: I read several news stories online every day.
• Analysis: Using 几 (jǐ) with 篇 to ask “how many” or, in this statement, to mean “a few” or “several”.
• Example 8:
• 这篇小说的情节非常吸引人。
• Pinyin: Zhè piān xiǎoshuō de qíngjié fēicháng xīyǐn rén.
• English: The plot of this short story is very engaging.
• Analysis: 篇 is the correct measure word for a short story (小说 - xiǎoshuō), but not typically for a full-length novel, which would use 本 (běn).
• Example 9:
• 每篇课文后面的练习你都做了吗？
• Pinyin: Měi piān kèwén hòumiàn de liànxí nǐ dōu zuòle ma?
• English: Have you done the exercises after every text in the textbook?
• Analysis: Demonstrates the structure “每 (měi) + Measure Word + Noun” to mean “every.”
• Example 10:
• 这篇社论在社交媒体上引起了热议。
• Pinyin: Zhè piān shèlùn zài shèjiāo méitǐ shàng yǐnqǐle rèyì.
• English: This editorial has caused a heated discussion on social media.
• Analysis: Shows the use of 篇 with a more specific type of writing, an editorial (社论 - shèlùn).

• Forgetting the Measure Word: The most common mistake for beginners is omitting the measure word.
• Incorrect: 我看一个文章。(Wǒ kàn yī gè wénzhāng.) - Or even worse, 我看一文章.
• Correct: 我看一篇文章。(Wǒ kàn yī piān wénzhāng.)
• Reason: In Chinese, you almost always need a measure word between a number/specifier (like “this” or “that”) and a noun.
• Confusing 篇 (piān) with 页 (yè): This is a critical distinction.
• 篇 (piān): Refers to the entire work (e.g., one article, one essay). It's about the content as a whole.
• 页 (yè): Refers to a physical or digital “page.”
• Example: 我写了一篇十页的报告。(Wǒ xiěle yī piān shí yè de bàogào.) - “I wrote a report (one piece) that is ten pages long.”
• Using 个 (gè) instead of 篇 (piān): While 个 (gè) is the all-purpose measure word, using it for written works sounds uneducated or overly casual.
• Casual/Slightly Incorrect: 我读了一个有趣的故事。(Wǒ dúle yī gè yǒuqù de gùshì.)
• Standard/Correct: 我读了一篇有趣的故事。(Wǒ dúle yī piān yǒuqù de gùshì.)
• Reason: 篇 (piān) is the precise and proper classifier for written works and shows a better command of the language.

• 量词 (liàngcí) - The grammatical category of “measure word” or “classifier” that 篇 belongs to.
• 本 (běn) - The measure word for bound items like books, magazines, and notebooks. Use 本 for a novel, but 篇 for a short story within it.
• 首 (shǒu) - The measure word for poems and songs. You listen to “一首歌” (yī shǒu gē), not “一篇歌”.
• 页 (yè) - Page. The physical unit of paper or a screen. A 篇 consists of one or more 页.
• 段 (duàn) - Paragraph. A smaller unit of text. An article (一篇) is made up of many paragraphs (很多段).
• 章 (zhāng) - Chapter, typically of a book. More formal than 篇 when used for book sections.
• 篇章 (piānzhāng) - A compound word meaning “writings,” “discourse,” or “chapter” in a broader, often metaphorical, sense.
• 文章 (wénzhāng) - Article, essay. The most common noun that is measured by 篇.
• 论文 (lùnwén) - Thesis, dissertation, academic paper. Another key noun paired with 篇.