把 meaning and stroke order
To hold; to grasp; to hold a baby in position to help it urinate or defecate; handlebar
How to write 把, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 把
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to hold; to grasp
- to hold a baby in position to help it urinate or defecate
- handlebar
- classifier: handful, bundle, bunch
- classifier for things with handles
- (used to put the object before the verb: 把[ba3] + {noun} + {verb})
- handle
How 把 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 巴 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 把
The hand radical 扌 on the left shows this is something you do with your hand, and 巴 (bā) on the right gives the sound. Picture a hand closing around a handle to grab it and hold on.
把 is very common as a measure word for things with handles, like 一把伞 (yì bǎ sǎn, an umbrella), and for a handful of something. It is also used in the 把 construction to move the object before the verb when you do something to it. Example: 请把门关上。(Qǐng bǎ mén guān shang.) Please close the door.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 把 with 吧 (ba), the sentence particle, because both use 巴. 吧 has the mouth radical 口 and is for suggestions, while 把 has the hand radical 扌 and is about holding or handling things.
Common words with 把
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 把握 | bǎwò | to grasp (also fig.); to seize | HSK 3 |
| 把手 | bǎshou | to shake hands | HSK 7-9 |
| 把柄 | bǎbǐng | handle; (fig.) information that can be used against sb | HSK 7-9 |
| 把关 | bǎguān | to guard a pass; to check on sth | HSK 7-9 |
| 一把手 | yībǎshǒu | working hand; member of a work team; participant; the boss (short form of 第一把手[di4 yi1 ba3 | HSK 7-9 |
| 把门 | bǎmén | to stand as a goalkeeper; to keep guard on a gate | |
| 把戏 | bǎxì | acrobatics; jugglery; trick; ploy | |
| 把头 | bǎtóu | labor contractor; gangmaster | |
| 把酒 | bǎjiǔ | to raise one's wine cup | |
| 火把 | huǒbǎ | torch | |
| 拖把 | tuōbǎ | mop | |
| 把守 | bǎshǒu | to guard | |
| 把风 | bǎfēng | to keep watch (during a clandestine activity); to be on the lookout | |
| 扫把 | sàobǎ | broom |
把 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 把
How many strokes are in 把?
把 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 把 mean?
把 (bǎ) means to hold; to grasp; to hold a baby in position to help it urinate or defecate; handlebar. A common word with it is 把握 (bǎwò), meaning "to grasp (also fig.); to seize".
How do you pronounce 把?
把 is pronounced bǎ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 把?
The radical of 把 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 把 under this radical.
Is 把 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 把 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
Can I end a 把 sentence with just a bare verb?
Usually no. The verb after 把 normally needs something extra, like a result, direction, or 了. Say 我把饭吃完了 (wǒ bǎ fàn chī wán le), not just 我把饭吃.
When is 把 read bà instead of bǎ?
The fourth tone bà means a handle and appears in a few words, such as 刀把 (dāobà, knife handle). In most everyday uses, including the measure word and the 把 construction, it is bǎ.