Meaning of 罚
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to punish; to penalize; to fine
- variant of 罰|罚[fa2]
How to use 罚
罚 (fá) is a verb meaning to punish or to fine, and it often takes the amount or the punishment right after it. It appears in everyday words like 罚款 (fákuǎn, fine) and 罚单 (fádān, ticket). Example: 他开车太快，被罚了两百块。(Tā kāichē tài kuài, bèi fá le liǎng bǎi kuài.) He drove too fast and was fined 200 yuan.
The top of 罚 is the net radical 罒, and below it sits 讠 (speech) beside 刂 (knife). Picture someone caught in a net, scolded with words and threatened with a knife: that person is being punished.
Common mistake: Learners often write 罚 with 言 or leave out the 讠 between the net and the knife, or confuse it with 罪 (zuì, crime), which has the same net on top. Remember that 罪 is the crime and 罚 is the punishment, as in 罪有应得 versus 罚款.
罚 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.
罚 fá · to punish · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 罚.
Questions about 罚
What does 罚 mean?
罚 (fá) means "to punish; to penalize; to fine" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 罚?
罚 is made of 1 character: 罚 (9 strokes). That is 9 strokes in total.
Is 罚 an HSK word?
Yes. 罚 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 罚 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 罚 is written 罰.
What is the difference between 罚 and 惩罚?
罚 is a single verb and is common in speech, especially for fines or small penalties like 罚站 (fázhàn, make someone stand as punishment). 惩罚 (chéngfá) is more formal and can be a noun or a verb, used for punishment in a broader or more serious sense.
Is 罚 often used with 被?
Yes. Since people are usually on the receiving end, 被罚 (bèi fá, to be punished or fined) is very common. For example, 我被罚了 (wǒ bèi fá le) means I got punished or I got a fine.