飞

• Pinyin: fēi
• Hanzi breakdown: 飞 = simplified from 飛, a pictograph of a bird with spread wings in flight

Meaning

To fly. Describes the movement of birds, planes, or anything through the air.

Used literally for birds, planes, and insects. Also used figuratively to mean very fast: 时间飞快 (time flies). Appears in many compounds like 飞机 (airplane), 飞行 (flight).

Examples

1. 小鸟在天上飞。 Little birds fly in the sky.
2. 飞机飞得很高。 The airplane flies very high.
3. 时间过得真快，一天就飞过去了。 Time goes by so fast; a whole day just flew by.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, travel, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 你看，那只鸟飞得好高！(Look, that bird is flying so high!)
• 我们坐飞机飞到北京。(We flew to Beijing by plane.)

Don't Say

• 鱼在水里飞。(Fish don't fly — use 游 (swim) for fish moving in water)

Origin & History

The traditional form 飛 is a pictograph depicting a bird in flight with spread wings. The simplified form 飞 retains the upward strokes suggesting upward movement.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal