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芭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
芭bāa plantain or banana palmn, 7 strokes, radical 艹, rank #9405, Hard
芭bāa herbunknown, 7 strokes, radical 艹, rank #9405, Hard
芭bābananaunknown, 7 strokes, radical 艹, rank #9405, Hard
bā(ba1) T1
  1. 1a plantain or banana palm
  2. 2a herb
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
芭bā(ba1)

The character 芭 (bā) refers primarily to the banana plant or palm, which is known for its large, broad leaves and edible fruit. It can also denote certain herbs in specific contexts. Commonly, it appears in discussions about tropical plants or in culinary references related to bananas.

Strokes7Radical艹Frequency#9405DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, bananas symbolize happiness and good fortune, often appearing in festive decorations and culinary dishes. The popularity of bananas in China also reflects the country's agricultural diversity and tropical regions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant banana palm reaching up to the sky (the broad leaves resembling a fan) and think of the sound 'bā' as you picture the joyful act of picking ripe bananas. The character itself has a 'plant' radical (艹) at the top, symbolizing its connection to plants.

Meanings of 芭

bā(ba1)
1a plantain or banana palm
2a herb
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 芭

芭Simplified
7Strokes
艹Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 芭

JasonAmy

Podcast: 芭

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 芭

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a giant banana palm reaching up to the sky (the broad leaves resembling a fan) and think of the sound 'bā' as you picture the joyful act of picking ripe bananas. The character itself has a 'plant' radical (艹) at the top, symbolizing its connection to plants.

Usage Notes

When using 芭, learners should note that it is often combined with other characters to specify different types of bananas or related plants. It's generally informal and used in everyday conversations. Watch out for tone mistakes: 'bā' is in the first tone, so ensure it is pronounced with a high, level pitch.

HSK Study Tips

Although 芭 is not an HSK level word, learners at HSK 1-2 should focus on recognizing the radical 艹, which indicates plant-related vocabulary. Connecting it with other plant-related words will enhance vocabulary retention.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, bananas symbolize happiness and good fortune, often appearing in festive decorations and culinary dishes. The popularity of bananas in China also reflects the country's agricultural diversity and tropical regions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 芭 with similar-sounding words, such as 把 (bǎ), which has a completely different meaning. Make sure to use 'bā' when referring to banana plants, not 'bǎ'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 芭

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Etymology of 芭

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 巴 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

plant

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 芭?

Decomposition of 芭

IDS Structure⿱艹巴
芭Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
巴Ba1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 芭?

Write 芭

芭

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

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Grammar Patterns of 芭

芭 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 3 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

伦敦市____蕾舞团从波修瓦芭蕾舞团聘来了两名男舞蹈演员。

The London City Ballet has engaged two male dancers from the Bolshoi.

Example Sentences for 芭 (9)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
伦敦市芭蕾舞团从波修瓦芭蕾舞团聘来了两名男舞蹈演员。

lún dūn shì bā lěi wǔ tuán cóng bō xiū wǎ bā lěi wǔ tuán pìn lái le liǎng míng nán wǔ dǎo yǎn yuán。

The London City Ballet has engaged two male dancers from the Bolshoi.
2
不用说，芭芭拉定会大有作为，因为她与众不同。

bù yòng shuō， ， bā bā lā dìng huì dà yǒu zuò， wéi ， yīn wéi tā yǔ zhòng。

You always knew Barbara was going places, she was different.
3
男演员托举着女芭蕾舞演员，她们在上面抬臂摆出造型。

nán yǎn yuán tuō jǔ zháo nǚ bā lěi wǔ yǎn yuán， ， tā mén zài shàng miàn tái bì bǎi chū zào。

The men support the ballerinas, who pose with their uplifted arms.
4
他在1988年重回萨德勒的威尔斯皇家芭蕾舞团，任行政助理。

tā zài1988 1988 nián zhòng huí sà dé lè de wēi ěr sī huáng jiā bā lěi wǔ， tuán ， rèn háng zhèng。

He rejoined Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet as Assistant Administrator in
5
三段新编芭蕾舞将在演出中首演。

sān duàn xīn biān bā lěi wǔ jiāng zài yǎn chū zhōng shǒu yǎn。

The performance will include the premiere of three new ballets.
6
芭蕾课可以很好地使人保持优雅的仪态。

bā lěi kè kě yǐ hěn hǎo dì shǐ rén bǎo chí yōu yǎ de yí tài。

Ballet classes are important for poise and grace.
7
“什么时候？”阿尔芭问道。“今晚，”汤姆回答。

“ “ shí mó shí？” hòu ？” ā ěr bā。“ wèn dào，” 。“ jīn wǎn ，”。

"When?" asked Alba, "Tonight", answered Tom.
8
嘿, 芭芭拉, 你好 吗 ?

hēi, , bā bā, lā , nǐ?

Hi, Barbara, how are you?
9
蒂姆和芭芭拉正在攒钱，准备在郊区买一栋房子。

dì mǔ hé bā bā lā zhèng zài zǎn qián， ， zhǔn bèi zài jiāo qū mǎi yī dòng fáng。

Tim and Barbara are now saving for a house in the suburbs.

Cultural Notes for 芭

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, bananas symbolize happiness and good fortune, often appearing in festive decorations and culinary dishes. The popularity of bananas in China also reflects the country's agricultural diversity and tropical regions.

Word Family of 芭

Words Containing This Character9
芭bāa herb
芭蕾bālěiballet (loanword)
芭蕾舞ballet (loanword)
芭芭拉Barbara or Barbra (name)
芭蕉Japanese banana (Musa basjoo)
芭比Barbie
芭拉guava (loanword from Taiwanese)
水上芭蕾synchronized swimming
芭乐guava (loanword from Taiwanese)芭樂
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 芭 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 芭

It is pronounced as 'bā' with a high, level tone.