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伯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
伯bàone hundred (old)nr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bàfather's elder brothernr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bàseniornr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bàpaternal elder unclenr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bàeldest of brothersnr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bàrespectful form of addressnr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bàCount, third of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wǔ děng jué wèi]nr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bàolder brother; father's elder brother; sir, sire, countnr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bàCount, third of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3 jue2 wei4]unknown, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bǎione hundred (old)nr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bǎifather's elder brothernr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bǎiseniornr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bǎipaternal elder unclenr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bǎieldest of brothersnr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bǎirespectful form of addressnr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bǎiCount, third of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wǔ děng jué wèi]nr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bǎiolder brother; father's elder brother; sir, sire, countnr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bǎiCount, third of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3 jue2 wei4]unknown, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bóone hundred (old)nr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bófather's elder brothernr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bóseniornr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bópaternal elder unclenr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bóeldest of brothersnr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bórespectful form of addressnr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bóCount, third of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wǔ děng jué wèi]nr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bóolder brother; father's elder brother; sir, sire, countnr, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
伯bóCount, third of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3 jue2 wei4]unknown, 7 strokes, radical 亻, rank #4237, Hard
bà(ba4)ba
primary
 T4
  1. 1one hundred (old)
  2. 2father's elder brother
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March 24, 2026

伯bà(ba4)

The character 伯 (bà) primarily means 'father's elder brother' or 'paternal uncle.' It can also refer to a respectful term of address for an older male, similar to 'sir' or 'count.' In a historical context, it denotes a rank of nobility in the feudal system.

Strokes7Radical亻Frequency#4237DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the position of 伯 (bà) is significant as it reflects the respect and hierarchy within the family, emphasizing the importance of elder relatives in social dynamics.

Memory tip

Imagine an older man, your father's elder brother, with a large, majestic beard (the radical for 'elder' is often associated with wisdom). The sound 'bà' can be remembered as 'baa' like a wise old sheep who knows all the family secrets.

Meanings of 伯

bà(ba4)
primary
1one hundred (old)
2father's elder brother
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 伯

伯Simplified
7Strokes
亻Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#4237Frequency Rank

Podcast: 伯

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Podcast: 伯

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AI study notes for 伯

Quick Contrast

叔 (shū) - use 伯 (bà) for 'father's elder brother' or a respectful term for older males, while 叔 (shū) refers to 'father's younger brother.'

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 伯 (bà) with 霸 (bà), which means 'to dominate' or 'tyrant.' 伯 is used in formal contexts, especially when addressing elders, while 霸 is more colloquial. Be careful with tones; mixing them up changes the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

Although 伯 (bà) is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to broader familial terms and hierarchical structures in Chinese society. Focus on how it interacts with other family-related terms to deepen understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 伯 (bà) when they mean 叔 (shū), confusing elder and younger relatives. For example, saying '我有一个伯' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè bà) to refer to a younger uncle is incorrect; it should be 叔 (shū).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 伯

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Etymology of 伯

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 白 represents the sound.

Memory hint

person

Semantic (meaning)亻
+
Phonetic (sound)白
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

伯 = 亻 + 白. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 伯

IDS Structure⿰亻白
伯Full character
=
亻ren2
left
白Bai2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 伯?

How to say one hundred (old) in Chinese

“one hundred (old)” in Chinese is伯bà

The character 伯 (bà) primarily means 'father's elder brother' or 'paternal uncle.' It can also refer to a respectful term of address for an older male, similar to 'sir' or 'count.' In a historical context, it denotes a rank of nobility in the feudal system.

When to use 伯

Learners often confuse 伯 (bà) with 霸 (bà), which means 'to dominate' or 'tyrant.' 伯 is used in formal contexts, especially when addressing elders, while 霸 is more colloquial. Be careful with tones; mixing them up changes the meaning entirely.

伯 or something close to it

叔 (shū) - use 伯 (bà) for 'father's elder brother' or a respectful term for older males, while 叔 (shū) refers to 'father's younger brother.'

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 伯 (bà) when they mean 叔 (shū), confusing elder and younger relatives. For example, saying '我有一个伯' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè bà) to refer to a younger uncle is incorrect; it should be 叔 (shū).

Write 伯

伯

Practice writing 伯 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 伯

伯 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 9 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

理查德·张____伦已经同意接拍《荆棘鸟》的续集。

Richard Chamberlain has agreed to make a sequel to "The Thorn Birds".

Example sentences for 伯 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
理查德·张伯伦已经同意接拍《荆棘鸟》的续集。

lǐ chá dé· zhāng bà lún yǐjīng tóngyì jiē pāi《 jīngjí niǎo》 de xù jí。

Richard Chamberlain has agreed to make a sequel to "The Thorn Birds".
2
你好，伯纳德！见到你真高兴。

nǐhǎo， bà nà dé！ jiàndào nǐ zhēn gāoxìng。

Good day to you, Bernard! It's a positive delight to see you.
3
下次你来伯明翰一定要来看看我们。

xiàcì nǐ lái bà míng hàn yídìng yào lái kàn kàn wǒmen。

Do pay us a visit next time you're in Birmingham.
4
我要把我的外套拿到楼上去。罗伯塔，要我把你的也拿上去吗？

wǒ yào bǎ wǒ de wàitào nádào lóushàng qù。 luō bà tǎ， yào wǒ bǎ nǐ de yě ná shàngqù ma？

I'll take my coat upstairs. Shall I take yours, Roberta?
5
肯尼亚的罗伯特·基布是800米决赛入围者中速度最快的选手.

kěn ní yà de luō bà tè· jī bù shì800 mǐ juésài rù wéi zhě zhōng sùdù zuì kuài de xuǎnshǒu.

Kenya's Robert Kibe was the fastest qualifier for the 800 metres final.
6
海伦也是25岁，也来自伯明翰，但是相同之处仅此而已。

hǎi lún yě shì25 suì， yě láizì bà míng hàn， dànshì xiāngtóng zhī chǔ jǐn cǐ éryǐ。

Helen is also 25 and from Birmingham, but the similarity ends there.
7
海沃德艺术展是由艺术家伯纳德·吕蒂组织的。

hǎi wò dé yìshù Zhǎn shì yóu yìshù jiā bà nà dé· lǚ dì zǔzhī de。

The Hayward exhibition has been curated by the artist Bernard Luthi.
8
伯爵茶、大吉岭茶和茉莉花茶是最畅销的几种传统茶叶。

bà jué chá、 dà jí lǐng chá hé mòlì huā chá shì zuì chàngxiāo de jǐ zhǒng chuántǒng cháyè。

Earl Grey, Darjeeling and Jasmine are best-selling traditional teas.
9
喝下午茶的时候，维多利亚与其夫君艾伯特亲王表演了二重唱。

hē xiàwǔ chá de shíhou， wéi duō lì yà yǔqí fū jūn ài bà tè qīn wáng biǎoyǎn le èr zhòng chàng。

At tea-time, Victoria sang duets with her Consort, Prince Albert.
10
这本书充满了萧伯纳独特的爱尔兰式幽默与嘲讽。

zhè běn shū chōngmǎn le xiāo bà nà dútè de ài ěr lán shì yōumò yǔ cháo fěng。

This book is suffused with Shaw's characteristic wry Irish humour.

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Word Family of 伯

Words containing this character19
伯bàsenior
阿拉伯ālābóArabian
伯爵bójuéearl
罗伯特luóbótèRobert (name)羅伯特
韦伯wéibóWebb, Webber or Weber (name)韋伯
老伯lǎobóuncle (polite form of address for older male)
西伯利亚xībólìyàSiberia西伯利亞
沙特阿拉伯shātè’ālābóSaudi Arabia
大伯dàbóbrother-in-law
伯父bófùfather's elder brother
伯伯bóbouncle
阿拉伯人ālābórénArab
伯明翰bómínghànBirmingham
伯母bómǔaunt
阿拉伯语ālābóyǔArabic (language)阿拉伯語
希伯来xībóláiHebrew希伯來
伯恩bó’ēnBern or Berne, capital of Switzerland (Tw)
伯乐bólètalent scout伯樂
伯南克bónánkèBernanke (name)
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 伯

What does 阿拉伯 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 伯

伯 (bà) refers specifically to the father's elder brother, while 叔 (shū) is used for the father's younger brother.

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