Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
棒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
棒
bàng
stick
HSK 4, zg, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #222, Medium
棒
bàng
club
HSK 4, zg, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #222, Medium
棒
bàng
cudgel
HSK 4, zg, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #222, Medium
棒
bàng
smart
HSK 4, zg, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #222, Medium
棒
bàng
capable
HSK 4, zg, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #222, Medium
棒
bàng
strong
HSK 4, zg, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #222, Medium
棒
bàng
wonderful
HSK 4, zg, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #222, Medium
棒
bàng
classifier for legs of a relay race
HSK 4, zg, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #222, Medium
棒
bàng
stick, club; strong, smart; to hit
HSK 4, zg, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #222, Medium
bàng(bang4)bang T4
1stick
2club
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
棒bàng(bang4)
The character 棒 (bàng) primarily means 'stick' or 'club', often referring to an object used for hitting or striking. Additionally, it can describe someone as 'smart', 'capable', or 'strong', often used in informal contexts to express approval or admiration. This dual meaning makes it versatile in both literal and metaphorical usage.
Strokes12Radical木Frequency#222DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, calling someone 棒 (bàng) is a common way to show appreciation, especially among friends or in informal settings. It reflects a positive appraisal that can strengthen social bonds.
Memory tip
Imagine a strong person holding a棒 (bàng) like a baseball bat, ready to hit a home run. The character's components resemble a stick (木) and a strong action, helping you remember that it signifies both a physical stick and the strength or capability of a person.
Meanings of 棒
bàng(bang4)
1stick
2club
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 棒 means.
About 棒
棒Simplified
12Strokes
木Radical
状态词zgan (stat.)Part of Speech
#222Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 棒
Podcast: 棒
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 棒
Quick Contrast
棒 (bàng) vs 好 (hǎo) — choose 棒 when emphasizing capability or strength, while 好 focuses on general goodness or quality.
Usage Notes
While 棒 can be used in both informal and formal contexts, it's more common in casual conversation to describe someone as 'wonderful' or 'awesome'. Be careful with pronunciation; the fourth tone (bàng) must be used to convey the correct meaning, as a mispronunciation could lead to confusion with similar sounding words.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 4 word, 棒 connects well with other words describing objects and qualities, such as 好 (hǎo, good) and 强 (qiáng, strong). Students should focus on using it in sentences that express opinions or evaluations about people or objects.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 棒 with similar-sounding words like 蚌 (bàng, clam), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying 这本书很棒 (zhè běn shū hěn bàng) is correct, while saying 它是一个蚌 (tā shì yī gè bàng) to mean 'It is a great thing' is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 棒
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 棒, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 棒 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 棒?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 棒 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
棒 = 木 + 奉. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 棒
IDS Structure⿰木奉
棒Full character
=
木Mu4
left
奉feng4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 棒?
How to say stick in Chinese
“stick” in Chinese is棒bàng
The character 棒 (bàng) primarily means 'stick' or 'club', often referring to an object used for hitting or striking. Additionally, it can describe someone as 'smart', 'capable', or 'strong', often used in informal contexts to express approval or admiration. This dual meaning makes it versatile in both literal and metaphorical usage.
When to use 棒
While 棒 can be used in both informal and formal contexts, it's more common in casual conversation to describe someone as 'wonderful' or 'awesome'. Be careful with pronunciation; the fourth tone (bàng) must be used to convey the correct meaning, as a mispronunciation could lead to confusion with similar sounding words.
棒 or something close to it
棒 (bàng) vs 好 (hǎo) — choose 棒 when emphasizing capability or strength, while 好 focuses on general goodness or quality.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 棒 with similar-sounding words like 蚌 (bàng, clam), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying 这本书很棒 (zhè běn shū hěn bàng) is correct, while saying 它是一个蚌 (tā shì yī gè bàng) to mean 'It is a great thing' is incorrect.
Write 棒
棒
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 棒 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 棒
棒 carries 9 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Háizi men zài gōngyuán lǐ yòng mùbàng dǎ gǔ, fāchū yǒuqù de jiézòu.
The children in the park used sticks to beat the drums, creating an interesting rhythm.
12
这根棒是为了搭建露营帐篷而准备的。
Zhè gēn bàng shì wèile dājiàn lùyíng zhàngpéng ér zhǔnbèi de.
This stick is prepared for setting up the camping tent.
13
为了烤肉，他将肉串插在长长的铁棒上。
Wèile kǎoròu, tā jiāng ròuchuàn chā zài chángcháng de tiěbàng shàng.
To barbecue, he skewered the meat onto a long iron stick.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 棒?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
Cultural Notes for 棒
💡Did you know?
'棒' can be used in various contexts, such as sports or to describe someone's performance. For example, '棒球' means 'baseball'. This highlights the importance of sports in Chinese culture.
Word Family of 棒
Words containing this character20
棒bàngstick
棒球bàngqiúbaseball
好棒hǎobàngexcellent (interjection)
棒子bàngzistick
棒棒糖bàngbàngtánglollipop
棍棒gùnbàngclub
大棒dàbàngbig stick (policy etc)
指挥棒zhǐhuībàngbaton指揮棒
冰棒bīngbàngpopsicle
接力棒jiēlìbàngrelay baton
铁棒tiěbàngiron club鐵棒
棒槌bàngchuíwooden club (used to beat clothes in washing)
鲁棒性lǔbàngxìngrobustness魯棒性
电棒diànbànghair iron電棒
球棒qiúbàngbaseball bat
棒喝bànghèto rebuke sternly
穷棒子qióngbàngzidestitute窮棒子
棒子面bàngzimiànmaize cornflour棒子麵
哭丧棒kūsāngbàngmourning staff draped in white, held at a funeral to show filial piety哭喪棒
金箍棒jīngūbànggolden cudgel, weapon wielded by Sun Wukong in the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[XīyóuJì]
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 棒
What does 棒球 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 棒
棒 is generally considered informal and is often used in everyday conversation. It conveys enthusiasm and is commonly used among friends or in casual settings to praise someone's ability or performance.
Synonyms for 棒 include 优秀 (yōuxiù), which means 'excellent,' and 强 (qiáng), which means 'strong.' Depending on the context, you might also use 了不起 (liǎobuqǐ) to express that something is remarkable or impressive.
棒 (bàng) can mean 'stick' or 'club,' often referring to a physical object. Additionally, it is used to describe someone as 'smart,' 'capable,' or 'strong.' Its versatility makes it a useful word in various contexts.
You can use 棒 in sentences like '他打篮球打得很棒' (Tā dǎ lánqiú dǎ de hěn bàng), which means 'He plays basketball very well.' It can also be used in phrases like '这家餐厅棒极了' (Zhè jiā cāntīng bàng jí le), meaning 'This restaurant is excellent.'
No, 棒 is not typically used to describe food; it is more about objects or qualities of people.
You might hear 你真棒 (nǐ zhēn bàng), meaning 'You are really great!' in informal contexts.
It is generally not used in formal writing but is prevalent in spoken language and informal communication.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 棒?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
