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峇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
峇bācave, cavernzg, 9 strokes, radical 山
峇bā(used in transliteration)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 山
峇bāalso pr. [ke1]unknown, 9 strokes, radical 山
峇kēcave, cavernzg, 9 strokes, radical 山
峇kē(used in transliteration)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 山
峇kēalso pr. [ke1]unknown, 9 strokes, radical 山
峇kècave, cavernzg, 9 strokes, radical 山
峇kè(used in transliteration)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 山
峇kèalso pr. [ke1]unknown, 9 strokes, radical 山
bā(ba1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1cave, cavern
  2. 2(used in transliteration)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

峇bā(ba1)

The character 峇 (bā) primarily refers to a cave or cavern, often used in geographical contexts to describe natural formations. It can also serve as a phonetic component in transliterations of foreign names and terms. This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more relevant in specific contexts such as geology or place names.

Strokes9Radical山
Cultural Note

In some regions of China, especially in the southwest, caves are significant both as natural wonders and as historical sites, often associated with local legends and tourism.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant B (like in the character) standing at the entrance of a cave, guarding its treasures. The 'b' sound in 'bā' can remind you of the big 'B' as if it is blocking the way into the dark cavern.

Meanings of 峇

bā(ba1)
primary
1cave, cavern
2(used in transliteration)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 峇

峇Simplified
9Strokes
山Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 峇

JasonAmy

Podcast: 峇

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AI Study Notes for 峇

Usage Notes

Learners might confuse 峇 with similar-sounding characters, so it’s essential to practice the tones accurately. This character is more likely to appear in written text than in spoken language. It may also be used in names of places, often in a more formal context.

HSK Study Tips

Although 峇 is not part of the official HSK levels, it can be connected to geographical vocabulary that may appear in advanced levels. Students should focus on recognizing it in context, especially when reading texts about Chinese geography.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 峇 as 'kē' due to its alternate reading. It's crucial to remember that the correct pronunciation is 'bā' with a high tone.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 峇

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Etymology of 峇

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

mountain

Semantic (meaning)山
+
Phonetic (sound)合
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 峇

  1. 1The meaning half山 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half合 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymountain
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 峇? 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 峇?

Decomposition of 峇

IDS Structure⿱山合
峇Full Character
=
山Shan1
top
合ge3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 峇?

How to say cave, cavern in Chinese

“cave, cavern” in Chinese is峇bā

The character 峇 (bā) primarily refers to a cave or cavern, often used in geographical contexts to describe natural formations. It can also serve as a phonetic component in transliterations of foreign names and terms. This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more relevant in specific contexts such as geology or place names.

When to use 峇

Learners might confuse 峇 with similar-sounding characters, so it’s essential to practice the tones accurately. This character is more likely to appear in written text than in spoken language. It may also be used in names of places, often in a more formal context.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 峇 as 'kē' due to its alternate reading. It's crucial to remember that the correct pronunciation is 'bā' with a high tone.

Write 峇

峇

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 峇

Words Containing This Character1
峇bācave
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 峇 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 峇

No, 峇 is more specialized and primarily appears in written texts, particularly in geographical or geological contexts.

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