派

• Pinyin: pài
• Hanzi breakdown: 派 = 氵(water) + 𠂢 (branching), originally a river branch, extended to mean faction or to dispatch

Meaning

To send; to dispatch; to assign. Also means a faction, school of thought, or style.

As a verb, means to send someone on a task or assignment: 派人去 (send someone), 派工作 (assign work). As a noun, refers to a faction or style: 学派 (school of thought), 派别 (faction). Also used in loanwords: 派对 (party, from English). Common in both formal and informal contexts.

Examples

1. 公司派他去上海出差。 The company sent him to Shanghai on a business trip.
2. 老师派了两个同学去办公室拿资料。 The teacher assigned two classmates to go to the office to get materials.
3. 这位画家属于印象派。 This painter belongs to the Impressionist school.

Usage Guide

Context: work, organisation, art and culture

Tone: authoritative

Do Say

• 领导派我来通知大家。(The leader sent me to inform everyone.)
• 他属于哪一派的？(Which school of thought does he belong to?)

Don't Say

• 我派了一封信。(Don't use 派 for sending letters or packages — use 寄. 派 is for sending people on assignments.)

Origin & History

派 = 氵(water) + 𠂢 (branching), originally meaning a branch of a river. Extended to mean a branch, faction, or to send out in different directions.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal