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拍 (pāi) — (verb) to pat, clap, slap, or strike (with the hand); to flap; (verb) to take (a photo); to shoot (a film); (noun) racket (sports); beat (music)

Definition

拍 covers two main meanings: 'pat/clap' (lighter, with the hand) versus the broader 打 'hit/strike'; and 'take a photo/shoot a film' (verb) — 拍照 is the everyday phrase, 拍摄 more formal. As a noun, it means a racket or musical beat.

verb
to patclapslapor strike (with the hand)to flapto take (a photo)to shoot (a film)
noun
racket (sports)beat (music)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 拍。
    Tā pāi le yí xià zhuō zi.
    He gave the table a pat.
  • 拍。
    Wǒ gěi tā pāi le yì zhāng zhào piàn.
    I took a photo of her.
  • 。
    Zhè ge qiú pāi hěn hǎo yòng.
    This racket is very easy to use.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái拍pāi
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拍 puts 手 (hand) beside 白, which gives the pronunciation.

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 51000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsPhotography & Design2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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