HSK 5
凭
píng
to rely on
Structure
凭 + Noun/Evidence/Basis + Verb Phrase
How it works
The word 凭 (píng) is used to indicate the basis, foundation, or evidence for an action or judgment. It can act as a preposition meaning 'based on' or 'relying on', often suggesting that a person is using specific qualifications, intuition, or physical evidence to achieve a result.
Examples
我们凭这张门票就可以进去看电影。
Wǒmen píng zhè zhāng ménpiào jiù kěyǐ jìnqù kàn diànyǐng.
We can go in to see the movie based on this ticket.
他不凭关系，完全是凭实力考上的。
Tā bù píng guānxì, wánquán shì píng shílì kǎoshàng de.
He didn't rely on connections; he got in entirely based on his own strength.
有时候，我们只能凭直觉去做决定。
Yǒushíhòu, wǒmen zhǐnéng píng zhíjué qù zuò juédìng.
Sometimes, we can only make decisions based on intuition.
Common mistakes
Students often confuse 凭 with 根据 (gēnjù). While both mean 'according to', 凭 often implies relying on subjective factors (intuition, feeling) or specific physical credentials (tickets, ID), whereas 根据 is used for objective data, laws, or logical theories.
Tip
Think of 凭 as 'by means of' or 'on the strength of'. It is frequently used in the fixed expression '凭什么' (píng shénme), which means 'on what grounds' or 'by what right'.
More HSK 5 grammar
See 凭 in real Chinese
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