嫔 (pín) - Palace lady & imperial concubine

嫔Tone 2

pín ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

柠七

嫔 · pín

Palace lady;

imperial concubine;

a title for women in the imperial harem ranking below consorts.

Palace ladyimperial concubinea title for women in the imperial harem

Usage highlights

Imperial concubineHarem ladiesConcubine rankTo be appointed as concubineConsorts and concubinesNine imperial concubines

Synonyms

  • 妃— Consort (higher rank than pin)
  • 妾— Concubine (general term)

Antonyms

  • 君— Monarch (male ruler)
  • 臣— Official/subject (male courtier)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She was appointed as an imperial concubine (被册封为嫔).
  • The harem had various ranks including consorts and concubines (后宫有妃嫔等不同等级).
  • In the Qing dynasty, the rank of pin was below that of fei (清朝嫔位在妃位之下).

Collocations

  • Imperial concubine(嫔妃)
  • Harem ladies(宫嫔)
  • Concubine rank(嫔位)
  • To be appointed as concubine(册嫔)
  • Consorts and concubines(妃嫔)
  • Nine imperial concubines(九嫔)

Idioms

  • The imperial harem system(妃嫔制度)
  • Ranked among the nine concubines(位列九嫔)
  • Palace ladies and imperial concubines(宫娥嫔妃)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In imperial China, 'pin' was a formal rank for women in the emperor's harem, typically below 'fei' (consort) and above lower-ranking ladies.
  • The title was part of a complex hierarchy that organized the emperor's consorts by status and privilege.
  • The 'nine pin' (九嫔) was a collective term for mid-ranking concubines in some dynasties.

FAQ