伴 (bàn) — companion, partner, associate; to accompany
Definition
伴 is the short root: a noun meaning 'companion' (as in 旅伴 travel companion) and a verb meaning 'to accompany'. It is more literary and compressed than 陪伴, and pairs readily in set words (伙伴, 伴侣, 伴随).
companionpartnerassociateto accompany
Measure word · 个
Easily confused
- 拌bànlook-aliketo mix (ingredients); to toss (a salad)
- 半bànsound-alikehalf; (used before a measure word or number) half of; (after a number) and a half
- 绊bànlook-aliketo trip, to stumble
- 办bànsound-aliketo handle, to manage, to deal with (affairs)
- 胖pànglook-alikefat; plump (referring to a person's body)
- 扮bànsound-aliketo dress up (as), to disguise oneself as
Examples
- 伴。Tā bàn wǒ zǒu le yí duàn lù.He accompanied me for a stretch of the road.
- ，。Zài lǚ tú zhōng, tā shì yí gè hǎo lǚ bàn.On the journey, he is a good travel companion.
- 伴。Yīn yuè bàn wǒ dù guò le hěn duō nán guò de yè wǎn.Music accompanied me through many sad nights.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
伴 puts 亻 (person) beside 半. The person part fits the meaning of companion, and 半 gives the sound.
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