拜 (bài) — to bow, to pay respects; to make a formal visit (for greetings); to formally acknowledge someone as master or teacher (e.g., 拜师)
Definition
拜 is a bound form used mainly in formal/traditional contexts: bowing, paying respects, or acknowledging a master. It is more formal and literary than colloquial verbs like 拜访 or 问候, and almost always appears in compounds (拜年, 拜师, 拜访).
bound form
to bowto pay respectsto make a formal visit (for greetings)to formally acknowledge someone as master or teacher (e.g., 拜师)
Examples
- 拜。Tā xiàng fó xiàng bài le sān cì.He bowed to the Buddha statue three times.
- ，。Chūn jié shí, wǒ men dōu qù gěi zhǎng bèi bài nián.During Spring Festival, we all go to pay New Year's visits to our elders.
- 拜。Tā zhèng shì bài nà wèi huà jiā wèi shī.He formally acknowledged that painter as his teacher.
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