平安

• Pinyin: píng ān
• Hanzi breakdown: 平 (píng) — flat, calm; 安 (ān) = 宀 (roof) + 女 (woman), representing peace under a roof

Meaning

Safe; safe and sound; peaceful. Describes a state of being free from danger or harm.

Commonly used to wish someone safety or to report that someone is safe. Frequently appears in greetings and blessings, especially around holidays. Also used in compound words like 平安夜 (Christmas Eve, literally 'peaceful night') and 一路平安 (bon voyage).

Examples

1. 妈妈希望孩子每天平安回家。 Mom hopes the children come home safe every day.
2. 一路平安！ Have a safe journey!
3. 听说你到了，我就放心了，平安就好。 I heard you arrived, and I feel relieved — being safe is all that matters.

Usage Guide

Context: blessings, greetings, safety

Tone: warm

Do Say

• 祝你一路平安。(Wishing you a safe journey.)
• 孩子们都平安到家了。(The children all got home safely.)

Don't Say

• 平安不用来形容物品 (Don't use 平安 to describe objects — it's used for people's safety and wellbeing, not for things being undamaged; use 完好 for intact objects)

Origin & History

平 (píng, level/calm) + 安 (ān, peace/safe). Together they emphasise both external calm and inner security.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal