备 bèi prepare
prepare; to equip; in reserve
How to remember 备: 夂 pursue + 田 field = prepare. Before she sets off to pursue the runaway dog across the muddy field, the mother packs boots and treats, fully prepared.
Component breakdown
备 = 夂 pursue + 田 field
- 夂 pursue
- 田 field
Before she sets off to pursue the runaway dog across the muddy field, the mother packs boots and treats, fully prepared.
How it came to be
A quiver full of arrows, hung ready at the side: to be prepared. Simplified, it wore down to a foot over a field.
How it is used
- The "prepare/equip" root - 准备 (zhǔnbèi) prepare/get ready is the core word, 具备 (jùbèi) possess (conditions), 设备 (shèbèi) equipment.
- 备用 (bèiyòng) = spare/backup; 装备 (zhuāngbèi) = gear/equipment. Think "having things ready in reserve".
Characters built with 备
Words with 备
- 准备zhǔnbèiprepareHSK 2
- 具备jùbèito possessHSK 5
- 设备shèbèiequipmentHSK 5
- 备用bèiyòngreserveHSK 6
- 筹备chóubèipreparationsHSK 6
- 装备zhuāngbèiequipmentHSK 6
- 配备pèibèito allocateHSK 6
- 后备hòubèireserveHSK 7
- 后备箱hòubèixiāngtrunkHSK 7
- 备份bèifènbackupHSK 7
- 备课bèikèto do one's lesson preparationHSK 7
- 完备wánbèifaultlessHSK 7
- 责备zébèito blameHSK 7
- 预备yùbèito prepareHSK 7
- 储备chǔbèito store upHSK 8
- 备忘录bèiwànglùmemorandumHSK 8
- 备战bèizhànprepared against warHSK 8
- 德才兼备décái-jiānbèipossessing both integrity and talentHSK 8
- 戒备jièbèito take precautionsHSK 8
Example sentences
- 他已经准备好了。 Tā yǐjīng zhǔnbèi hǎo le.He already completed preparations.
- 假如明天开会，准备工作来得及吗？ Jiǎrú míngtiān kāihuì, zhǔnbèi gōngzuò láidejí ma？Supposing we hold the meeting tomorrow, will there be enough time to prepare?
- 我在挤牙膏准备刷牙。 Wǒ zài jǐ yágāo zhǔnbèi shuāyá.I am squeezing toothpaste in preparation to brush my teeth.