火把 (huǒ bǎ) — torch (a portable light source made of burning… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

torch (a portable light source made of burning material)

Measure word · 把

Examples

。
Tā jǔ zháo huǒ bǎ zài hēi àn zhōng qián jìn.
He advanced through the darkness holding a torch.
火把。
Gǔ dài rén yòng huǒ bǎ lái zhào míng hé qū gǎn yě shòu.
Ancient people used torches for lighting and driving away wild animals.
，火把。
Jié rì lǐ, rén men diǎn rán huǒ bǎ qìng zhù fēng shōu.
During the festival, people light torches to celebrate the harvest.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

把bǎhandle

火, fire, joins with 把, a handle, to mean a torch.

Characters in this word

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

火 is a simple drawing of a fire, with flames shown rising upward.

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

扌巴把

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.

Appears in

Miscellaneous Objects

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.