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叭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
叭bādenote a sound or sharp noise (gunfire etc)o, 5 strokes, radical 口, rank #16098, Very Hard
叭bātrumpeto, 5 strokes, radical 口, rank #16098, Very Hard
bā(ba1)ba T1
  1. 1denote a sound or sharp noise (gunfire etc)
  2. 2trumpet
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March 24, 2026

叭bā(ba1)

The character 叭 (bā) represents a sound or sharp noise, often associated with the sound of a trumpet or other loud noises like gunfire. It is commonly used in contexts where a specific sound is being described, highlighting its auditory qualities.

Strokes5Radical口Frequency#16098DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, sounds play an important role in storytelling and traditional music, where instruments like the trumpet are often featured in celebrations and festivals, making 叭 relevant in those contexts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a trumpet player going 'ba!' as they blow into their instrument, creating a sharp, piercing sound. The character 叭 looks like someone blowing into a trumpet, with the horizontal line representing the mouthpiece and the vertical strokes resembling the sound waves emanating from it.

Meanings of 叭

bā(ba1)
1denote a sound or sharp noise (gunfire etc)
2trumpet
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 叭

叭Simplified
5Strokes
口Radical
拟声词onomatopoeia (onom.)Part of Speech
#16098Frequency Rank

Podcast: 叭

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Podcast: 叭

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AI Study Notes for 叭

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 叭 with similar-sounding characters. It's used informally and frequently appears in onomatopoeic contexts. Be mindful of pronunciation; 叭 is pronounced with a high-level tone, which can be easily mixed up with the falling tone of other similar words.

HSK Study Tips

While 叭 is not included in the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to sounds represented in other HSK characters, such as 啊 (ā) and 嘴 (zuǐ). Focus on listening and pronunciation to grasp its auditory connotations.

Common Mistakes

A frequent mistake is to confuse 叭 with 拔 (bá), which means to pull out. Remember that 叭 is related to sounds, while 拔 refers to an action. For example, saying '我叭了树' (I bā-ed the tree) is incorrect; it should be '我拔了树' (I pulled out the tree).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 叭

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Etymology of 叭

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

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 八 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)八
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

叭 = 口 + 八. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 叭

IDS Structure⿰口八
叭Full Character
=
口kou3
left
八ba1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 叭?

How to say denote a sound or sharp noise (gunfire etc) in Chinese

“denote a sound or sharp noise (gunfire etc)” in Chinese is叭bā

The character 叭 (bā) represents a sound or sharp noise, often associated with the sound of a trumpet or other loud noises like gunfire. It is commonly used in contexts where a specific sound is being described, highlighting its auditory qualities.

When to use 叭

Learners often confuse 叭 with similar-sounding characters. It's used informally and frequently appears in onomatopoeic contexts. Be mindful of pronunciation; 叭 is pronounced with a high-level tone, which can be easily mixed up with the falling tone of other similar words.

What learners get wrong

A frequent mistake is to confuse 叭 with 拔 (bá), which means to pull out. Remember that 叭 is related to sounds, while 拔 refers to an action. For example, saying '我叭了树' (I bā-ed the tree) is incorrect; it should be '我拔了树' (I pulled out the tree).

Write 叭

叭

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

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Grammar Patterns of 叭

叭 functions as an onomatopoeic word — it imitates a sound. It often functions as an adverbial or stand-alone exclamation rather than a true verb or noun. It carries 2 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.

负责选举的官员们已经临时安了几个喇____，让投票者可以同时享受音乐。

Election officials have rigged up speakers to provide voters with music.

Example Sentences for 叭 (6)

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1
负责选举的官员们已经临时安了几个喇叭，让投票者可以同时享受音乐。

fù zé xuǎn jǔ de guān yuán mén yǐ jīng lín shí ān le jī gè lǎ bā， ， ràng tóu piào zhě kě yǐ tóng shí xiǎng shòu yīn。

Election officials have rigged up speakers to provide voters with music.
2
司机冲我挥挥手，按了下喇叭。

sī jī chōng wǒ huī huī shǒu， ， àn le xià lǎ。

The driver gave me a wave and a toot.
3
她按了一下喇叭，把车开到右边停下。

tā àn le yī xià lǎ bā， ， bǎ chē kāi dào yòu biān tíng。

She pulled to the right with a honk.
4
喇叭里叫着他们的名字。

lǎ bā lǐ jiào zháo tā mén de míng zì。

Their names were called over the loudspeaker .
5
所有喇叭都接在单一的扩音器上.

suǒ yǒu lǎ bā dū jiē zài dān yī de kuò yīn qì shàng.

All the speakers hook up to a single amplifier.
6
骑车人危险地在车流中飞速穿行时，汽车喇叭的嘟嘟声响成一片。

qí chē rén wēi xiǎn dì zài chē liú zhōng fēi sù chuān háng shí， ， qì chē lǎ bā de dū dū shēng xiǎng chéng yī。

Car horns toot as cyclists dart precariously through the traffic.

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Word Family of 叭

Words Containing This Character5
喇叭lǎbaloudspeaker
叭bādenote a sound or sharp noise (gunfire etc)
喇叭裤flared trousers喇叭褲
喇叭花morning glory
吹喇叭(fig.) to praise sb
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 叭

What does 喇叭 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 叭

It typically describes a loud sound or noise, often related to musical instruments or sharp noises.

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