TongTong
Sign in

节拍 (jié pāi) — (music) a beat; the basic unit of time in music; (music) meter; time signature (e.g., 3/4 time)

Definition

A music term for the recurring pulse or metric pattern that organizes a piece into bars — closest to English 'beat' or 'time signature' (e.g., 3/4).

noun
(music) a beatthe basic unit of time in music(music) metertime signature (e.g., 3/4 time)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 节拍。
    Zhè shǒu gē shì sì sì jié pāi de.
    This song is in 4/4 time.
  • 节拍。
    Yǎn zòu shí yào gēn zhe jié pāi lái dǎ pāi zi.
    When playing, you need to follow the beat and tap the time.
  • 节拍。
    Lǎo shī jiào wǒ men biàn bié bù tóng de jié pāi.
    The teacher taught us to distinguish different meters.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

节jiérhythm
拍pāibeat

节 and 拍 both point to rhythmic units; together they name meter or a beat.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 節; 节 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺮Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
即
即jí節jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 節 pairs ⺮ (bamboo) with 即, which gives the sound; the bamboo part points to a node of bamboo. The simplified 节 is a later abbreviation.

Open 节 →

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.

Open 拍 →
Appears in
Music

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