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把手 (bǎ shou) — handle, grip, knob (on a door, tool, container, etc.)

Definition

Refers to the part you hold to open or carry something — a door knob, a tool grip, a cup handle. Contrast with 把柄 (bǎbǐng), which also means 'handle' but is more often used figuratively as 'leverage / something to use against someone'.

noun
handlegripknob (on a door, tool, container, etc.)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 把手。
    Zhè ge mén de bǎ shou shì jīn sè de.
    The handle of this door is golden.
  • 把手。
    Bēi zi de bǎ shou hěn xiǎo.
    The handle of the cup is very small.
  • 把手。
    Nǐ yào zhuā zhù chē mén de bǎ shou.
    You need to grab the handle of the car door.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

把bǎhold
手shǒuhand

把手 joins 把, to hold, and 手, the hand: the thing meant for holding with the hand.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
巴
巴bā把bǎ
Same sound today

把 combines 扌, a hand, with 巴 for its sound.

Open 把 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

手 draws a five-fingered human hand: the top line is a bent middle finger, and the horizontal lines show the other four fingers.

Open 手 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Miscellaneous Objects

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