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罢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
罢bàto stopv, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢bàto ceasev, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢bàto dismissv, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢bàto suspendv, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢bàto quitv, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢bàto finishv, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢bà(final particle, same as 吧)v, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢bato stopv, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢bato ceasev, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢bato dismissv, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢bato suspendv, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢bato quitv, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢bato finishv, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
罢ba(final particle, same as 吧)v, 10 strokes, radical 罒, rank #10325, Hard
bà(ba4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1to stop
  2. 2to cease
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
罢(罷)bà(ba4)

The character 罢 (bà) primarily means 'to stop' or 'to cease.' It is often used in contexts where an action is being halted or an activity is being concluded. Additionally, it can imply dismissing someone from a position or suspending an event, making it versatile in both formal and informal situations.

Strokes10Radical罒Frequency#10325DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

The concept of striking (罢工) has historical significance in China, particularly during labor movements. Understanding this word provides insight into social activism and workers' rights within Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'bat' (sounds like 'bà') that stops flying when it reaches a wall. The 'bat' represents the action being halted, connecting the sound and meaning of the character. Visualize the bat hanging quietly, symbolizing cessation.

Meanings of 罢

bà(ba4)
primary
1to stop
2to cease
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 罢

罢Simplified
罷Traditional
10Strokes
罒Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#10325Frequency Rank

Podcast: 罢

JasonAmy

Podcast: 罢

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 罢

Quick Contrast

罢 (bà) vs 停 (tíng) — use 罢 for formal cessation or conclusion, while 停 is more about stopping an ongoing action.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'bat' (sounds like 'bà') that stops flying when it reaches a wall. The 'bat' represents the action being halted, connecting the sound and meaning of the character. Visualize the bat hanging quietly, symbolizing cessation.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 罢 with similar-sounding words; its usage is more formal and often appears in written contexts. Common collocations include 罢工 (bàgōng, to strike) and 罢免 (bàmiǎn, to dismiss from office). Remember that in conversation, using 罢 can make your tone sound more formal.

HSK Study Tips

Although 罢 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is useful for understanding verbs of cessation. Focus on related terms like 停止 (tíngzhǐ, to stop) and 结束 (jiéshù, to finish) to enrich your vocabulary around actions being halted.

Cultural Note

The concept of striking (罢工) has historical significance in China, particularly during labor movements. Understanding this word provides insight into social activism and workers' rights within Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 罢 in informal situations where simpler terms like 停 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我罢吃' (Wǒ bà chī) instead of '我停吃' (Wǒ tíng chī) for 'I stop eating.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 罢

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Etymology of 罢

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 罷. Depicts stopping something from being able (能) to continue with a net (网).

Memory Hint

Stuck in a net 罒, unable to leave 去

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 罢?

Decomposition of 罢

IDS Structure⿱罒去
罢Full Character
=
罒wang3
top
去qu4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 罢?

Write 罢

罢

Practice writing 罢 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 罢

罢 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 7 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.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

这件事你同意也____，不同意也罢，你都得参加。

Whether you agree or not, you have to participate in this.

Example Sentences for 罢 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他们所谓的回答不过是表示承认的咕哝罢了。

tā mén suǒ wèi de huí dá bù guò shì biǎo shì chéng rèn de gū nóng bà le。

Their replies were no more than grunts of acknowledgement.
2
这实际上已是该学说的终结，只是未被道明罢了。

zhè shí jì shàng yǐ shì gāi xué shuō de zhōng jié， ， zhī shì wèi bèi dào míng bà。

It's the end of the doctrine in all but name.
3
这只不过是你可以做的各种试验中的一例罢了。

zhè zhī bù guò shì nǐ kě yǐ zuò de gè zhǒng shì yàn zhōng de yī lì bà le。

That's just one example of the kind of experiments you can do.
4
他们有时候对我说我只是个女招待，只不过称呼好听一些罢了。

tā mén yǒu shí hòu duì wǒ shuō wǒ zhī shì gè nǚ zhāo dài， ， zhī bù guò chēng hū hǎo tīng yī xiē bà。

Sometimes they tell me I'm just a glorified waitress.
5
当然，我们全都知道我们能投票罢免议员们。

dāng rán， ， wǒ mén quán dū zhī dào wǒ mén néng tóu piào bà miǎn yì yuán。

And of course we all know we can vote out our councillors.
6
她很强硬，不达目的誓不罢休。

tā hěn qiáng yìng， ， bù dá mù de shì bù bà。

She is tough, unwilling to take no for an answer.
7
别那么大戒心，查利，我只是开个玩笑罢了。

bié nà mó dà jiè xīn， ， chá， lì ， wǒ zhī shì kāi gè wán xiào。

Don't get defensive, Charlie. I was only joking.
8
那也许仅仅是些不怀好意的流言蜚语罢了。

nà yě xǔ jǐn jǐn shì xiē bù huái hǎo yì de liú yán fēi yǔ bà le。

That might merely have been malicious gossip.
9
在他们眼中，积极分子不过是爱管闲事的人罢了。

zài tā mén yǎn zhōng， ， jī jí fēn zǐ bù guò shì ài guǎn xián shì de rén bà。

They view activists as little more than meddlers.
10
“我不是在多管闲事，”肯沃西温和地说，“我只是好奇罢了。”

“ “ wǒ bù shì zài duō guǎn xián，” shì ，” kěn wò xī wēn hé，“ dì shuō ，“ wǒ zhī shì hǎo。”

"I'm not meddling," Kenworthy said mildly, "I'm just curious."

Cultural Notes for 罢

🏮Cultural insight

The concept of striking (罢工) has historical significance in China, particularly during labor movements. Understanding this word provides insight into social activism and workers' rights within Chinese culture.

Word Family of 罢

Compounds2
摆bai3to arrange
罴pi2brown bear, Ursus arctos
Words Containing This Character15
罢了bàlea modal particle indicating (that's all, only, nothing much)罷了
罢bàto stop罷
罢工bàgōnga strike罷工
也罢never mind也罷
罢休bàxiūto give up罷休
罢免bàmiǎnto dismiss罷免
罢手to give up罷手
欲罢不能want to stop but can't (idiom)欲罷不能
作罢to drop (subject etc)作罷
善罢甘休to leave the matter at that善罷甘休
罢课student's strike罷課
罢官to dismiss from office罷官
罢市protest strike by merchants罷市
罢黜to ban罷黜
罢教teacher's strike罷教
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 摆 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 罢

While both mean 'to stop,' 罢 often implies a more formal cessation, like quitting a job or striking, whereas 停止 is more general.