把 meaning in English
to hold; to grasp; to hold a baby in position to help it urinate or defecate
Meaning of 把
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- 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 to use 把
把 is most often used to move the object in front of the verb, showing what you do to something: subject + 把 + object + verb + result. It is also a common classifier for things with handles, like 一把伞 (yī bǎ sǎn, an umbrella) or 一把椅子 (yī bǎ yǐzi, a chair). Example: 请把门关上。(Qǐng bǎ mén guān shàng.) Please close the door.
把 has the hand radical 扌 on the left and 巴 (bā) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture a hand reaching out to grab hold of something, since the core meaning is to hold or grasp.
Common mistake: Learners often end a 把 sentence with a bare verb, like 我把作业做, but the verb needs something after it, such as a result or complement: 我把作业做完了 (Wǒ bǎ zuòyè zuò wán le). Also, do not use 把 with verbs that do not act on the object, like 喜欢 or 知道.
把 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
把 bǎ · to hold · 7 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 把.
| 把握 | bǎwò | to grasp (also fig.); to seize |
| 把手 | bǎshou | to shake hands |
| 把柄 | bǎbǐng | handle; (fig.) information that can be used against sb |
| 把关 | bǎguān | to guard a pass; to check on sth |
| 一把手 | yībǎshǒu | working hand; member of a work team; participant; the boss (short form of 第一把手[di4 yi1 ba3 |
| 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 |
Questions about 把
What does 把 mean?
把 (bǎ) means "to hold; to grasp; to hold a baby in position to help it urinate or defecate" and is used as a preposition and measure word.
How do you write 把?
把 is made of 1 character: 把 (7 strokes). That is 7 strokes in total.
Is 把 an HSK word?
Yes. 把 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
When is 把 pronounced bà instead of bǎ?
It is read bà when it means a handle, as in 刀把 (dāobà, knife handle). In almost all other uses, including the 把 sentence and the classifier, it is bǎ.
Can the object after 把 be something indefinite?
Usually no. The object after 把 is normally something specific that both speakers know about, like 这本书 (zhè běn shū, this book). You would not say 把一本书 to mean just any book.