霸 meaning and stroke order
Tyrant; to usurp, to rule by might
How to write 霸, stroke by stroke
21 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 霸
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- hegemon
- tyrant
- lord
- feudal chief
- to rule by force
- to usurp
How 霸 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Rain.
雨 gives the meaning.
Radical: 雨 (rain), shared by 42 characters on this site.
How to remember 霸
Picture rain 雨 pouring down on top of leather 革 and the moon 月: a tyrant rules over everything below like a storm that covers the whole sky. The 雨 on top is the meaning hint the data gives, so think of power that falls on everyone like rain.
霸 (bà) rarely stands alone and usually appears in words like 霸占 (bàzhàn, to seize by force), 称霸 (chēngbà, to dominate) and 霸道 (bàdào, bossy, overbearing). In everyday speech 霸道 often describes a pushy person. Example: 他太霸道了。(Tā tài bàdào le.) He is too domineering.
Common mistake: Learners often write the bottom left part as 单 or 革 incorrectly squeezed, or swap the order of 革 and 月. Remember it is 革 on the left and 月 on the right, both under 雨.
Common words with 霸
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 霸占 | bàzhàn | to occupy by force; to seize | HSK 7-9 |
| 霸王 | bàwáng | hegemon; overlord | |
| 恶霸 | èbà | evil tyrant | |
| 霸道 | bàdào | the Way of the Hegemon; abbr. for 霸王之道 | |
| 称霸 | chēngbà | lit. to proclaim oneself hegemon; to take a leading role | |
| 波霸 | bōbà | (slang) (loanword) big boobs; big-breasted | |
| 巨无霸 | Jùwúbà | giant; leviathan | |
| 霸王龙 | bàwánglóng | Tyrannosaurus rex |
霸 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 霸
Learning 霸 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 霸
How many strokes are in 霸?
霸 is written with 21 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 霸 mean?
霸 (bà) means tyrant; to usurp, to rule by might. A common word with it is 霸占 (bàzhàn), meaning "to occupy by force; to seize".
How do you pronounce 霸?
霸 is pronounced bà, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 霸?
The radical of 霸 is 雨, which carries the idea of "rain". Dictionaries list 霸 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 霸?
The traditional form of 霸 is 覇. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 霸 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 霸 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 霸 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 学霸 mean?
学霸 (xuébà) is modern slang for a top student, someone who dominates at studying. It is usually a compliment, the opposite of 学渣 (xuézhā), a poor student.
Is 霸道 positive or negative?
Usually negative, meaning bossy or high-handed. In internet slang like 霸道总裁 (bàdào zǒngcái, domineering CEO) from romance dramas, it can sound playful or even attractive.