Dictionary › 把

把

bǎ

HSK 3 Character

What 把 means

1. to hold; to grasp
2. to hold a baby in position to help it urinate or defecate
3. handlebar
4. classifier: handful, bundle, bunch
5. classifier for things with handles
6. (used to put the object before the verb: {把|bǎ} + {noun} + {verb})

Other readings

把 is 多音字 — it is read more than one way, and the reading changes the meaning.

• bàhandle

Example sentences

• 把剑给我。
  Bǎ jiàn gěi wǒ.
  Give me the sword.
• 把他铐上。
  Bǎ tā kào shàng.
  Put handcuffs on him.
• 把它填满。
  Bǎ tā tiánmǎn.
  Fill it up.
• 把水烧开。
  Bǎ shuǐ shāokāi.
  Boil the water.
• 把他杀了！
  Bǎ tāshā le!
  Kill him!
• 把嘴张开！
  Bǎ zuǐ zhāngkāi!
  Open your mouth!

Words starting with 把

• 把握bǎ wòto grasp (also fig.); to seize; to hold
• 把戏bǎ xìacrobatics; jugglery; trick; ploy
• 把关bǎ guānto guard a pass; to check on sth
• 把手bǎ shouhandle; grip; knob
• 把玩bǎ wánto turn around in one's hands; to play with; to fiddle with
• 把守bǎ shǒuto guard
• 把持bǎ chíto control; to dominate; to monopolize
• 把柄bǎ bǐnghandle; (fig.) information that can be used against sb
• 把子bà zihandle
• 把儿bà ra handle
• 把式bǎ shìperson skilled in a trade; skill
• 把立bǎ lìstem (bicycle component)
• 把总bǎ zǒnglow-level officer of the army from the Ming to the mid Qing Dynasty
• 把酒bǎ jiǔto raise one's wine cup
• 把门bǎ ménto stand as a goalkeeper; to keep guard on a gate
• 把马子bǎ mǎ zito pick up a girl; to get a girl
• 把持不定bǎ chí bù dìngindecisive (idiom)
• 把头bǎ tóulabor contractor; gangmaster
• 把控bǎ kòngto control; to be in charge of
• 把酒言欢bǎ jiǔ yán huānto drink together and chat merrily
• 把风bǎ fēngto keep watch (during a clandestine activity); to be on the lookout
• 把方便当随便bǎ fāng biàn dàng suí biànto act unappreciatively in response to a kindness
• 把稳bǎ wěntrustworthy; dependable
• 把兄弟bǎ xiōng dìsworn brothers

Words containing 把

• 个把gè bǎ(colloquial) about one; one or so
• 火把huǒ bǎtorch
• 一把手yī bǎ shǒuworking hand; member of a work team; participant; the boss (short form of 第一把手
• 车把chē bǎhandlebar (of a bicycle); shaft (of a rickshaw)
• 拖把tuō bǎmop
• 扫把sào bǎbroom
• 倒把dǎo bǎto play the market; to speculate (on financial markets); to profiteer
• 门把手mén bǎ shoudoor knob; door handle
• 投机倒把tóu jī dǎo bǎto engage in speculation and profiteering
• 手把shǒu bàhandle
• 门把mén bǎdoor knob; door handle; also pr. mén bà
• 车把式chē bǎ shiexpert cart-driver; charioteer
• 印把子yìn bà ziseal of authority; official seal
• 花把式huā bǎ shìexpert flower grower
• 打把势dǎ bǎ shidrill (in sword play); to thrash around; to demonstrate gymnastic skills
• 花把势huā bǎ shìexpert flower grower
• 火把节huǒ bǎ jiéTorch Festival
• 变把戏biàn bǎ xìto perform magic; to do magic tricks; prestidigitation
• 游戏手把yóu xì shǒu bàgamepad (Tw)
• 吸把xī bǎtoilet plunger
• 拜把子bài bǎ zito become sworn brothers
• 铁将军把门tiě jiāng jūn bǎ ménlit. General Iron is guarding the door (idiom); fig. the door is padlocked — nobody inside
• 两把刷子liǎng bǎ shuā ziability; skill
• 枪把儿qiāng bà rbutt of a gun

Characters built on 巴

These share the phonetic component 巴 (bā), which is why their readings rhyme. Learning them as a family is far cheaper than learning them one at a time.

• 吧ba(modal particle indicating suggestion or surmise); ...right?; ...OK?
• 爸bàfather; dad; pa
• 爬páto crawl; to climb; to get up or sit up
• 芭bāan unidentified fragrant plant mentioned in the Songs of Chu 楚辞; used in 芭蕉…
• 疤bāscar; scab
• 靶bǎtarget; mark
• 笆bāan article made of bamboo strips; fence
• 琶pásee 琵琶, pipa lute

Characters that look like 把

Easy to confuse on sight. Compare them side by side once and the pair stops costing you.

• 担dānto undertake; to carry; to shoulder
• 批pīto ascertain; to act on; to criticize
• 抚fǔto comfort; to console; to stroke
• 扼èto grip forcefully; to clutch at; to guard
• 杞qǐChinese wolfberry shrub (Lycium chinense); willow

Sounds the same

Read bǎ, tone for tone, but written differently.

• 靶target; mark
• 钯palladium (chemistry); Taiwan pr. bā
• 㞎(dialect) poo; (dialect) to shit