‘僻字’ (pì zì) literally combines ‘僻’ (pì), meaning ‘remote’, ‘secluded’, or ‘uncommon’, and ‘字’ (zì), meaning ‘character’ or ‘written character’. Together, it refers to Chinese characters that are rare, obscure, or seldom used in modern daily life — often found in classical texts, specialized academic fields, or regional dialects. These characters may be archaic, highly technical (e.g., in botany or medicine), or phonetically complex with few surviving compounds.

While not inherently difficult to read if one knows the character, 僻字 pose challenges for learners and even native speakers due to low frequency and limited exposure. They appear more often in literary analysis, historical linguistics, calligraphy practice, or dictionary work than in conversation or news. Recognizing them requires deep familiarity with character etymology and variant forms, not just standard vocabulary lists.