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扳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
扳
bān
to drag, to pull; to twist
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #14091, Very Hard
扳
bān
to turn (sth) around
HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #14091, Very Hard
扳
bān
to turn around (a situation)
HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #14091, Very Hard
扳
bān
to recoup
HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #14091, Very Hard
扳
pān
to drag, to pull; to twist
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #14091, Very Hard
扳
pān
to turn (sth) around
HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #14091, Very Hard
扳
pān
to turn around (a situation)
HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #14091, Very Hard
扳
pān
to recoup
HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #14091, Very Hard
bān(ban1)ban
primary
T1
1to drag, to pull; to twist
2to turn (sth) around
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March 24, 2026
扳bān(ban1)
The character 扳 (bān) primarily means 'to pull' or 'to drag', often implying a forceful action. It can also refer to twisting or turning an object, making it relevant in contexts involving physical manipulation or adjusting situations. In conversational Chinese, it can denote taking control or changing the course of events.
Strokes7Radical扌Frequency#14091DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 'pulling' or 'twisting' can symbolize a shift in fate or control over a situation, often depicted in stories where characters actively change their circumstances through decisive action.
Memory tip
Imagine a strong person (扳) pulling a heavy object towards themselves. The character looks like a person using their hands (扳's components suggest this) to twist or drag something, helping you remember both the action and sound of 'bān'.
Meanings of 扳
bān(ban1)
primary
1to drag, to pull; to twist
2to turn (sth) around
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 扳 means.
About 扳
扳Simplified
7Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2
Podcast: 扳
Podcast: 扳
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AI study notes for 扳
Quick Contrast
扭 (niǔ) vs. 拧 (nǐng) — choose 扳 for a more forceful pulling action, while 扭 emphasizes twisting.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 扳 with similar verbs like 拉 (lā, to pull) or 攀 (pān, to climb), which can lead to incorrect nuance in usage. It's typically used in informal contexts, but can also apply in situations that require a more dynamic action. Be mindful of the tones when using this word.
HSK Study Tips
Although 扳 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to other action verbs at the same level. Students should focus on the various applications of the verb in different contexts, especially physical actions, to enhance their understanding of related vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 扳 with 拉 (lā), leading to incorrect phrases like 扳门 (bān mén, 'pull door') instead of 拉门 (lā mén). Remember, 扳 emphasizes a twisting or forceful action, while 拉 is more about straightforward pulling.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 扳
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 扳 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.
扳 = 扌 + 反. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 扳
IDS Structure⿰扌反
扳Full character
=
扌shou3
left
反fan3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 扳?
How to say to drag, to pull; to twist in Chinese
“to drag, to pull; to twist” in Chinese is扳bān
The character 扳 (bān) primarily means 'to pull' or 'to drag', often implying a forceful action. It can also refer to twisting or turning an object, making it relevant in contexts involving physical manipulation or adjusting situations. In conversational Chinese, it can denote taking control or changing the course of events.
When to use 扳
Common mistakes include confusing 扳 with similar verbs like 拉 (lā, to pull) or 攀 (pān, to climb), which can lead to incorrect nuance in usage. It's typically used in informal contexts, but can also apply in situations that require a more dynamic action. Be mindful of the tones when using this word.
扳 or something close to it
扭 (niǔ) vs. 拧 (nǐng) — choose 扳 for a more forceful pulling action, while 扭 emphasizes twisting.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 扳 with 拉 (lā), leading to incorrect phrases like 扳门 (bān mén, 'pull door') instead of 拉门 (lā mén). Remember, 扳 emphasizes a twisting or forceful action, while 拉 is more about straightforward pulling.
Write 扳
扳
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Practice writing 扳 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 扳
扳 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 4 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.
他____下电闸,所有的灯一下子全亮了.
Hepressed the switch and all the lights flashed on together.
Example sentences for 扳 (8)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他扳下电闸,所有的灯一下子全亮了.
tā bān xià diàn zhá, suǒyǒu de dēng yīxiàzi quán liàng le.
Hepressed the switch and all the lights flashed on together.
2
中场还没到，比分就被克雷格·麦克勒格扳平了。
zhōng chǎng hái méi dào， bǐfēn jiù bèi kè léi gé· mài kè lè gé bān píng le。
The goal was cancelled out just before half-time by Craig McLurg.
