Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
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)
primary
 T4
  1. 1one hundred (old)
  2. 2father's elder brother
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 伯

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

Podcast: 伯

JasonAmy

Podcast: 伯

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

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

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 伯 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 伯

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

  1. 1The meaning half亻 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half白 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayperson
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 伯? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 伯?

Decomposition of 伯

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

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component 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.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

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

Complete the Sentence

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 bó lún yǐ jīng tóng yì jiē《 pāi 《 jīng》 jí niǎo 》。

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

nǐ hǎo， ， bó nà！ dé ！ jiàn dào nǐ zhēn。

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。

xià cì nǐ lái bó míng hàn yī dìng yào lái kàn kàn wǒ mén。

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 wài tào ná dào lóu shàng qù。 。 luó bó， tǎ ， yào wǒ bǎ nǐ de yě ná shàng？

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 luó bó tè· · jī bù800 shì 800 mǐ jué sài rù wéi zhě zhōng sù dù zuì kuài de.

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 25， suì ， yě lái zì bó， míng hàn ， dàn shì xiāng tóng zhī chǔ jǐn。

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 yì shù zhǎn shì yóu yì shù jiā bó nà dé· · lǚ dì zǔ zhī。

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。

bó jué chá、 、 dà jí lǐng chá hé mò lì huā chá shì zuì chàng xiāo de jī zhǒng chuán tǒng chá。

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 xià wǔ chá de shí hòu， ， wéi duō lì yà yǔ qí fū jūn ài bó tè qīn wáng biǎo yǎn le èr zhòng。

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 chōng mǎn le xiāo bó nà dú tè de ài ěr lán shì yōu mò yǔ cháo fěng。

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

Word Family of 伯

Words Containing This Character19
伯bàsenior
阿拉伯Arabian
伯爵earl
罗伯特Robert (name)羅伯特
韦伯Webb, Webber or Weber (name)韋伯
老伯uncle (polite form of address for older male)
西伯利亚Siberia西伯利亞
沙特阿拉伯Saudi Arabia
大伯brother-in-law
伯父bófùfather's elder brother
伯伯bóbouncle
阿拉伯人Arab
伯明翰Birmingham
伯母bómǔaunt
阿拉伯语ālābóyǔArabic (language)阿拉伯語
希伯来Hebrew希伯來
伯恩Bern or Berne, capital of Switzerland (Tw)
伯乐talent scout伯樂
伯南克Bernanke (name)
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 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.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 伯?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.