摆 meaning and stroke order
To arrange; to exhibit; to move to and fro
How to write 摆, stroke by stroke
13 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 摆
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to arrange
- to exhibit
- to move to and fro
- a pendulum
- hem (at the bottom of a garment)
How 摆 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 罢 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 摆
摆 is a pictophonetic character: the hand 扌 gives the meaning and 罢 (bà) gives the sound. Picture your hand setting things out in order, then letting them swing back and forth.
摆 is used for placing or laying things out, like dishes, chairs, or goods on a stall, and also for swinging motions. It shows up often in words like 摆脱 (bǎituō) and 摇摆 (yáobǎi). Example: 请把碗筷摆好。(Qǐng bǎ wǎnkuài bǎi hǎo.) Please set out the bowls and chopsticks.
Common mistake: Learners often say bà because the phonetic part 罢 is read bà, but 摆 is third tone bǎi. Also do not confuse it with 罢 itself, which means to stop or quit and has no hand radical.
Common words with 摆
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 摆脱 | bǎituō | to break away from; to cast off (old ideas etc) | HSK 4 |
| 摆动 | bǎidòng | to sway; to swing | HSK 4 |
| 摆平 | bǎipíng | to be fair; to be impartial | HSK 7-9 |
| 摇摆 | yáobǎi | to sway; to wobble | HSK 7-9 |
| 摆设 | bǎishe | to set out; to display | HSK 7-9 |
| 摆放 | bǎifàng | to set up; to arrange; to lay out | HSK 7-9 |
| 摆布 | bǎibù | to arrange; to order about | |
| 摆弄 | bǎinòng | to move back and forth; to fiddle with | |
| 明摆着 | míngbǎizhe | evident; clear | |
| 大摇大摆 | dàyáodàbǎi | to strut; swaggering | |
| 摆出 | bǎichū | to assume; to adopt (a look, pose, manner etc) | |
| 显摆 | xiǎnbai | (coll.) to show off | |
| 摆盘 | bǎipán | to arrange food on a plate; to plate up | |
| 摆明 | bǎimíng | to show clearly |
摆 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 摆
How many strokes are in 摆?
摆 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 摆 mean?
摆 (bǎi) means to arrange; to exhibit; to move to and fro. A common word with it is 摆脱 (bǎituō), meaning "to break away from; to cast off (old ideas etc)".
How do you pronounce 摆?
摆 is pronounced bǎi, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 摆?
The radical of 摆 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 摆 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 摆?
The traditional form of 摆 is 擺 and 襬. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 摆 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 摆 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 摆 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 摆 and 放?
放 (fàng) simply means to put something somewhere. 摆 suggests arranging or displaying things neatly, often several items, as in 摆桌子 (bǎi zhuōzi), to set the table.
What does 摆摊 mean?
摆摊 (bǎitān) means to set up a street stall and sell things. It uses the arranging and displaying sense of 摆, since vendors lay out their goods for people to see.