别 bié / biè — leave; depart; separate; distinguish; classify; other
上课的时候别说话。Shàng kè de shí hou bié shuō huà.Do not talk during class.
Common words: 别人 (bié ren)、别的 (bié de)、特别 (tè bié)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "other"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "other", including 别 (bié / biè), 另 (lìng), 旁 (páng). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "other" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 别 (bié / biè), 另 (lìng), 旁 (páng) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span bié, biè, lìng, páng — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 别 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 别 bié / bièleave; depart; separate; distinguish; classify; otherUseful words: 别人, 别的
- 另 lìngother; another; separate; separatelyUseful words: 另外, 另一方面
- 旁 pángbeside; one side; other; side; selfUseful words: 旁边, 一旁
Common words for these 3 "other" characters
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 别 (bié / biè) — so "other" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
别人bié renother people; others; other person别的bié deelse; other特别tè biéunusual; special; very; especially另外lìng wàiadditional; in addition; besides; separate另一方面lìng yī fāng miànon the other hand; another aspect另一lìng yīanother ...; the other ...旁边páng biānside; adjacent place一旁yī pángaside; to the side of旁观páng guānspectator; non-participant
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "other".
另 lìng — other; another; separate; separately
这件不好，请给我另一件。Zhè jiàn bù hǎo, qǐng gěi wǒ lìng yí jiàn.This one is not good; please give me another one.
Common words: 另外 (lìng wài)、另一方面 (lìng yī fāng miàn)、另一 (lìng yī)
旁 páng — beside; one side; other; side; self
他坐在我旁边。Tā zuò zài wǒ páng biān.He sits next to me.
Common words: 旁边 (páng biān)、一旁 (yī páng)、旁观 (páng guān)
All 3 characters
Open 别、另、旁 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.