Meaning of 按
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to press
- to push
- to leave aside or shelve
- to control
- to restrain
- to keep one's hand on
- to check or refer to
- according to
How to use 按
As a verb, 按 means to press with a finger or hand, as in pressing a button or doorbell. As a preposition, it means "according to" and is a shorter, often more casual form of 按照 (ànzhào). Example: 请按这个按钮。(Qǐng àn zhège ànniǔ.) Please press this button.
按 combines the hand radical 扌 with 安 (ān, peace or calm). Picture a hand pressing down on something to keep it calm and still, and the sound àn comes from 安.
Common mistake: Learners often write 安 (ān) without the hand radical or confuse 按 with 接 (jiē, to receive), which also has 扌 on the left. Also remember the tone: 按 is fourth tone àn, not first tone like 安 ān.
按 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.
按 àn · to press · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 按.
| 按照 | ànzhào | according to; in accordance with; on the basis of |
| 按时 | ànshí | on time; before deadline |
| 按摩 | ànmó | massage; to massage |
| 按键 | ànjiàn | button or key (on a device); keystroke |
| 按说 | ànshuō | in the ordinary course of events; ordinarily; normally |
| 按理说 | ànlǐ shuō | it is reasonable to say that... |
| 按钮 | ànniǔ | to push a button; button (one that can be pressed to trigger an action) |
| 按下 | ànxià | to press down; to press a button |
| 按摩师 | ànmóshī | masseur; massage therapist |
| 按兵不动 | ànbīngbùdòng | to hold back one's troops without moving (idiom); to bide one's time |
| 按部就班 | ànbùjiùbān | (idiom) to follow the prescribed order; to keep to the working routine |
| 按揭 | ànjiē | a mortgage (loanword via Cantonese); to buy property on a mortgage |
Questions about 按
What does 按 mean?
按 (àn) means "to press; to push" and is used as a verb and preposition.
How do you write 按?
按 is made of 1 character: 按 (9 strokes). That is 9 strokes in total.
Is 按 an HSK word?
Yes. 按 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 按 and 按照?
Both can mean "according to." 按 is shorter and can be followed by a single syllable, as in 按时 (ànshí, on time). 按照 sounds a bit more formal and is usually followed by a two-syllable or longer noun, as in 按照规定 (ànzhào guīdìng, according to the rules).
How is 按 different from 推 (tuī) when talking about pushing?
按 means pressing down or pressing in on a spot, like a button, a key, or a shoulder during 按摩 (ànmó, massage). 推 means pushing something away from you so it moves, like pushing a door or a cart.