圓周率 / 圆周率
yuānzhōulǜ
The English phrase pi is translated into Chinese as 圓周率 / 圆周率 (yuānzhōulǜ) or 派.
Meaning: irrational mathematical constant (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 圓周率 / 圆周率 | yuānzhōulǜ |
| 派 | pài |
The term refers to the irrational mathematical constant. Note that the word 屁 is used in Chinese to convey the notion of nonsense or meaningless talk.
Which one should you use?
圓周率 / 圆周率 is the formal mathematical term, whereas 派 is a phonetic transliteration used in casual or shorthand mathematical contexts.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is yuānzhōulǜ.
Did you know?
- While 派 is used for 'pi', the word for 'pie' is also 派, making the two terms homophones in Chinese.
- In Chinese, the phonetic version 派 can also mean 'sect' or 'school of thought', such as in the phrase '儒家派' for 'Confucian school'.
- The character 派 used for 'pi' is a phono-semantic compound that originally combined a pictogram with the radical for 'water'.
Examples in context
- 别说屁话了。(Bié shuō pìhuàle.)Stop talking nonsense.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pi” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 派, CC BY-SA 4.0.
