To soar upward through the air like a bird with outspread wings.
To fly, travel by air, or move swiftly. A bird silhouette with two slanting wing strokes and a central body lifting into the sky.
飞
Common Usage & Traps
- 飞机 — airplane
- 飞走 — to fly away
- 飞鸟 — flying bird
- 起飞 — to take off (of an aircraft)
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飞人飞行员飞人 is not a standard everyday word for a person who flies; use 飞行员 for pilot.
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飞车飞机飞车 is not a common word for airplane; use 飞机 for airplane.
When should I use 飞 alone and when should I add 了?
Use 飞 alone for general statements or ongoing actions; add 了 to indicate completion or change of state.
飞 is a verb meaning 'to fly'. Without 了, it describes a general action or a habit. With 了, it indicates that the action is completed or that a new situation has arisen. For example, 鸟飞 means 'birds fly' (general), while 鸟飞了 means 'the bird flew away' (completed action).
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| General statement | 鸟会飞。 (Birds can fly.) | 鸟会飞了。 (implies a change, not general ability) |
| Completed action | 鸟飞了。 (The bird flew away.) | 鸟飞。 (incomplete, sounds odd for a specific event) |
What is the difference between 飞 and 非?
飞 (fēi) means 'to fly'; 非 (fēi) means 'not' or 'wrong'. They sound the same but are different characters.
飞 and 非 are homophones but have completely different meanings and uses. 飞 is a verb for flying, while 非 is a prefix or adjective meaning 'not' or 'non-'. For example, 飞机 (airplane) uses 飞, while 非常 (very) uses 非. They are not interchangeable.
| Dimension | 飞 | 非 |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | to fly | not, wrong |
| Example | 飞机 (airplane) | 非常 (very) |
| Part of speech | verb | helper word/adjective |
Appears in Stories 3 stories
Meet Xiao Shang, who is heading back to Shanghai. She compares two ways to travel and tells us why she prefers the slower one. This story helps you practice comparing transportation in simple Chinese.
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北京到上海有 飞机 ，也有火车。
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从北京到上海坐 飞机 ，不到两个小时，但是要坐火车，就要最少五个多小时。
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坐火车比坐 飞机 便宜得多，去 飞机场 也要花很多时间，所以，小商觉得坐火车比坐 飞机 好。
Read about a work trip to Beijing where a group of colleagues takes a very large airplane. Practice weather words and actions in a simple travel story.
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我们坐的 飞机 很大，是五百人的大 飞机 。
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我们下 飞机 的时候是白天，但是天气有一点儿冷。
This playful poem will make you smile as you explore how Chinese words like 'computer' and 'phone' can be funnier than they seem. Get ready to enjoy simple HSK 1 vocabulary and a twist of logic!
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手机在手中， 飞机 真会 飞 。
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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