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扒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
扒bāto hold on toHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto rake upHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto cling toHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto stealHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto dig upHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto braiseHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto rakeHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto crawlHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto push asideHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto climbHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto pull outHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto strip offHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto scratch, to dig up; to crouch, to crawlHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto peelHSK 7, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto skinHSK 7, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto tearHSK 7, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto pull downHSK 7, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto cling to (sth on which one is climbing)HSK 7, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒bāto digHSK 7, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto hold on toHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto rake upHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto cling toHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto stealHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto dig upHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto braiseHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto rakeHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto crawlHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto push asideHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto climbHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto pull outHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto strip offHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto scratch, to dig up; to crouch, to crawlHSK 7, v, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto peelHSK 7, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto skinHSK 7, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto tearHSK 7, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto pull downHSK 7, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto cling to (sth on which one is climbing)HSK 7, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
扒páto digHSK 7, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8261, Very Hard
bā(ba1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1to hold on to
  2. 2to rake up
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

扒bā(ba1)

The character 扒 (bā) primarily means to scrape or peel off something, often with a sense of force or urgency. It can also imply actions like digging up, stealing, or clinging to something. Common usage contexts include both physical actions, like peeling fruit, and metaphorical uses, such as 'clinging to ideas' or 'digging up information'.

Strokes5Radical扌Frequency#8261DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, the technique of '扒' is often used in cooking methods like braising, where ingredients are layered and cooked together, reflecting a cultural emphasis on the balance of flavors and textures in a dish.

Memory Tip

Imagine a raccoon (which sounds like 'bā' when it rummages) using its paws to peel off the layers of a fruit to get to the juicy center. The radical 扌 (hands) emphasizes the action of scraping or peeling, reinforcing the character's meaning.

Meanings of 扒

bā(ba1)
primary
1to hold on to
2to rake up
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 扒

扒Simplified
5Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#8261Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 扒

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Podcast: 扒

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 扒

Quick Contrast

扒 (bā) vs 挖 (wā): Use 扒 for scraping or peeling off, while 挖 specifically refers to digging into something, often with a tool.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 扒 with similar-sounding characters like 把 (bǎ), which has a different meaning related to handling. The verb can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but usage varies; for example, it's more commonly used for physical actions rather than abstract concepts.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 扒 connects with other advanced verbs that describe physical actions or behaviors. Students should focus on the various contexts in which 扒 can be applied, especially in everyday conversation and more abstract discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 扒 with 把 (bǎ), leading to incorrect phrases like '把皮' instead of 扒皮 (bā pí) for 'to peel'. Always remember that 扒 emphasizes scraping or peeling rather than handling.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 扒

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Etymology of 扒

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

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

Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
+
Phonetic (sound)八
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 扒

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

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half八 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhand
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 扒? 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 扒?

Decomposition of 扒

IDS Structure⿰扌八
扒Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
八ba1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 扒?

How to say to hold on to in Chinese

“to hold on to” in Chinese is扒bā

The character 扒 (bā) primarily means to scrape or peel off something, often with a sense of force or urgency. It can also imply actions like digging up, stealing, or clinging to something. Common usage contexts include both physical actions, like peeling fruit, and metaphorical uses, such as 'clinging to ideas' or 'digging up information'.

When to use 扒

Be careful not to confuse 扒 with similar-sounding characters like 把 (bǎ), which has a different meaning related to handling. The verb can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but usage varies; for example, it's more commonly used for physical actions rather than abstract concepts.

扒 or something close to it

扒 (bā) vs 挖 (wā): Use 扒 for scraping or peeling off, while 挖 specifically refers to digging into something, often with a tool.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 扒 with 把 (bǎ), leading to incorrect phrases like '把皮' instead of 扒皮 (bā pí) for 'to peel'. Always remember that 扒 emphasizes scraping or peeling rather than handling.

Write 扒

扒

Practice writing 扒 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 扒

扒 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 19 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 5

Complete the Sentence

拥挤的市场是____手大展身手的好地方。

Crowded markets are a happy hunting ground for pickpockets.

Example Sentences for 扒 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
拥挤的市场是扒手大展身手的好地方。

yōng jǐ de shì cháng shì bā shǒu dà zhǎn shēn shǒu de hǎo dì fāng。

Crowded markets are a happy hunting ground for pickpockets.
2
那只猫又把我种的那些幼苗扒出来了!

nà zhī māo yòu bǎ wǒ zhǒng de nà xiē yòu miáo bā chū lái le!

That cat has scratched up all my young plants again!
3
就剩下我用指尖扒着悬空在几百英尺高的地方。

jiù shèng xià wǒ yòng zhǐ jiān bā zháo xuán kōng zài jī bǎi yīng chǐ gāo de dì fāng。

I was left hanging by my finger-tips over a drop of hundreds of feet.
4
马迪根的马用蹄子扒着地面。

mǎ dí gēn de mǎ yòng tí zǐ bā zháo dì miàn。

Madigan's horse pawed the ground.
5
胡胡涂涂的扒搂了两碗饭, 他觉得非常的无聊.

hú hú tú tú de bā lǒu le liǎng wǎn fàn, , tā jué dé fēi cháng de wú.

He swallowed two bowls of rice unthinkingly, feeling quite fed up.
6
他把鞋袜一扒, 光着脚趟水.

tā bǎ xié wà yī bā, , guāng zháo jiǎo tàng.

Taking off his shoes and socks , he waded across barefoot.
7
在布鲁塞尔机场，他被扒手盯上，钱包被偷走了。

zài bù lǔ sāi ěr jī cháng， ， tā bèi bā shǒu dīng， shàng ， qián bāo bèi tōu。

At Brussels airport he fell victim to pickpockets who pinched his wallet.
8
我们扒下了湿透的衣服。

wǒ mén bā xià le shī tòu de yī fú。

We stripped off our sodden clothes.
9
他们扒光了我的衣服。

tā mén bā guāng le wǒ de yī fú。

They stripped me naked.
10
他犹豫不决地站了一会儿,用手杖扒拉一阵沟里的东西.

tā yóu yù bù jué dì zhàn le yī huì ér, , yòng shǒu zhàng bā lā yī zhèn gōu lǐ de dōng.

He stood a moment irresolutely prodding the much in the ditch.

Word Family of 扒

Words Containing This Character10
扒bāto peel
扒手pickpocket
扒窃to steal扒竊
扒开to pry open or apart扒開
扒拉to push lightly
扒车to pull oneself up onto a moving vehicle扒車
扒灰incest between father-in-law and daughter-in-law
扒糕buckwheat pudding (snack of buckwheat noodles with sauce)
扒犁sledge
扒钉cramp扒釘
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 扒 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 扒

You can find 扒 used in phrases like 扒皮 (bā pí), meaning 'to peel', and 扒拉 (bā lā), which can mean 'to scrape or dig up'.

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