piān
partial; prejudiced; inclined to one side; lean
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正 (zhèng)
upright; correct
中 (zhōng)
middle; center
The Chinese character 偏 (piān) is composed of two parts: 扁 (biǎn) and 旁 (páng). 扁 originally meant "flat" or "thin", and 旁 originally meant "side" or "beside". When combined, 偏 takes on the meaning of "partial" or "biased". This is because something that is flat or thin is often not symmetrical, and something that is on the side is not in the center. Therefore, 偏 can be used to describe something that is not balanced or even.In addition to its literal meaning, 偏 can also be used figuratively to describe someone who is biased or prejudiced. For example, a person who always favors one side of an argument over the other could be described as 偏心 (piānxīn), which literally means "partial heart".The character 偏 can also be used as a verb, meaning "to lean" or "to incline". For example, a person who is leaning to one side could be described as 偏斜 (piānxie), which literally means "leaning sideways".Overall, the character 偏 has a rich history and a variety of meanings. It is a useful character to know for anyone who wants to learn Chinese.
