辩

• Pinyin: biàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 辩 = 辛 (bitter) + 言 (speech) + 辛 (bitter) — two parties arguing bitterly

Meaning

To argue; to debate; to dispute.

Refers to verbal arguing or debating, often in defense of a position or in a dispute. Can be neutral (debate) or slightly negative (argue back). Often combined with other characters like 辩论, 辩解, 辩护.

Examples

1. 他这个人特别喜欢辩，不管什么事都要争个输赢。 He really loves to argue — no matter what, he always has to win.
2. 事实胜于雄辩，你说再多也没用。 Facts speak louder than words; no amount of talking will help.
3. 她越辩越激动，嗓门都提高了。 The more she argued, the more worked up she got — her voice kept getting louder.

Usage Guide

Context: debate, argument, discussion

Tone: assertive

Do Say

• 你再怎么辩也没用。(No matter how much you argue, it's useless.)
• 有理不在声高，别光顾着辩。(Being right doesn't require being loud — don't just argue.)

Don't Say

• 用辩形容单方面陈述 (Don't use 辩 for one-sided statements — it implies back-and-forth argument)

Origin & History

Pictographic character showing two parties speaking from opposite sides, indicating debate.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal