騈 (pián) - A pair of horses & to be arranged in pairs

騈Tone 2

pián ｜ 18 strokes ｜ radical:

柠七

騈 · pián

A pair of horses;

to be arranged in pairs;

parallel, side-by-side.

A pair of horsesto be arranged in pairsparallel, side-by-side.

Usage highlights

Parallel prosePaired horsesRunning side by sideParallel coupletsPaired arrangementTwin peaks

Synonyms

  • 并— to combine, parallel
  • 双— pair, double
  • 对— pair, couple

Antonyms

  • 单— single, solitary
  • 独— alone, independent

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The carriage was drawn by a pair of horses (騈马).
  • Parallel prose is called pianwen (骈文).
  • The two horses ran side by side (騈驰).
  • He wrote in parallel couplets (騈句).

Collocations

  • Parallel prose(骈文)
  • Paired horses(騈马)
  • Running side by side(騈驰)
  • Parallel couplets(騈句)
  • Paired arrangement(騈列)
  • Twin peaks(騈峰)

Idioms

  • Flowery parallel prose(骈四俪六)
  • Paired shoulders and gathered heels(骈肩累踵)
  • Paired branches and connected leaves(骈枝俪叶)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally described a chariot drawn by two horses in ancient China.
  • Later extended to literary forms, especially parallel prose (骈文) popular during the Six Dynasties.
  • Represents symmetry, pairing, and balanced arrangement in both physical and abstract contexts.

FAQ