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罰 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
罰fápenalty, fine; to punish, to penalizex, 14 strokes, radical 罒, rank #40583, Very Hard
fá(fa2) T2
  1. 1penalty, fine; to punish, to penalize
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March 24, 2026

罰fá(fa2)

The character 罰 (fá) refers to a penalty or fine imposed as a punishment for wrongdoing. It is commonly used in legal contexts or discussions about rules and regulations, where individuals or entities face repercussions for their actions.

Strokes14Radical罒Frequency#40583DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of punishment is often linked to maintaining social harmony and order. The legal system places a strong emphasis on penalties to deter wrongdoing, reflecting Confucian values of discipline and responsibility.

Memory Tip

Imagine a judge holding a gavel (the top part of the character resembles a gavel) and declaring a fine to someone who broke the law. The sound 'fá' can remind you of 'fine' as both denote a penalty for misconduct.

Meanings of 罰

fá(fa2)
1penalty, fine; to punish, to penalize
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 罰

罰Simplified
14Strokes
罒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 罰

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Podcast: 罰

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AI Study Notes for 罰

Quick Contrast

罚 (fá) vs 惩罚 (chéngfá) — use 罚 for a specific penalty, while 惩罚 emphasizes the act of punishing.

Usage Notes

When using 罰 (fá), be mindful of its context as it typically conveys a formal tone. Common collocations include 罰款 (fákuǎn - fine) and 罰則 (fázé - punishment rule). A common mistake is confusing it with 罚 (fá) which is a simplified form.

HSK Study Tips

Although 罰 is not included in the HSK levels, understanding this character helps learners connect with other legal and formal vocabulary. Focus on related terms like 处罚 (chǔfá - punishment) as they often appear in similar contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 罰 (fá) with its usage in colloquial expressions, leading to incorrect phrases like 罰我 (fá wǒ - punish me) in informal settings. Instead, use it in contexts that involve official penalties.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 罰

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Etymology of 罰

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

To punish 刂 the accused 詈

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 罰

  1. 1The giveawayTo punish 刂 the accused 詈
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

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

Want the full history of 罰? 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 罰?

Decomposition of 罰

IDS Structure⿱罒⿰言刂
罰Full Character
=
罒wang3
top
言yan2
left
刂dao1
right
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 罰?

How to say penalty, fine; to punish, to penalize in Chinese

“penalty, fine; to punish, to penalize” in Chinese is罰fá

The character 罰 (fá) refers to a penalty or fine imposed as a punishment for wrongdoing. It is commonly used in legal contexts or discussions about rules and regulations, where individuals or entities face repercussions for their actions.

When to use 罰

When using 罰 (fá), be mindful of its context as it typically conveys a formal tone. Common collocations include 罰款 (fákuǎn - fine) and 罰則 (fázé - punishment rule). A common mistake is confusing it with 罚 (fá) which is a simplified form.

罰 or something close to it

罚 (fá) vs 惩罚 (chéngfá) — use 罚 for a specific penalty, while 惩罚 emphasizes the act of punishing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 罰 (fá) with its usage in colloquial expressions, leading to incorrect phrases like 罰我 (fá wǒ - punish me) in informal settings. Instead, use it in contexts that involve official penalties.

Write 罰

罰

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

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Word Family of 罰

Words Containing This Character18
惩罚chéngfápenalty懲罰
罚fáto punish罰
处罚chǔfáto penalize處罰
罚款fákuǎnto fine罰款
罚金fine罰金
罚球penalty shot罰球
刑罚sentence刑罰
体罚corporal punishment體罰
重罚to punish severely重罰
惩罚性punitive懲罰性
责罚to punish責罰
罚站to be made to stand still as a punishment罰站
赏罚reward and punishment賞罰
罚钱to fine罰錢
罚酒to drink as the result of having lost a bet罰酒
认罚to accept punishment認罰
主罚penalty (kick)主罰
敬酒不吃吃罚酒to refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit敬酒不吃吃罰酒
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 惩罚 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 罰

罰 is the traditional form of the character, while 罚 is the simplified version used in Mainland China. They have the same pronunciation and meaning.

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