How to Write 把 (bǎ/bà) — Meaning “to hold; (grammatical particle); (measure word for objects with handles)”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember the character 把?

Imagine your hand (扌) firmly holding a snake, because 巴 looks like a snake's head and body. To hold a snake, you need a strong grip, just like the meaning of 把.

Q: What are important writing tips for writing 把 correctly?

Write the left radical 扌 first (horizontal, vertical hook, pick), then the right part 巴: top horizontal, then the mouth (口), and finally a long bottom horizontal. A common mistake is making the right side too wide or forgetting the bottom stroke of 巴.

Q: How can I distinguish 把 from similar characters like 扑 and 㧜?

把 has the hand radical and means 'to hold' or is a grammatical particle, while 扑 (pū) means 'to pounce' and has the right side 卜 (a dot on top). 㧜 is a rare or non-standard variant of 把, not used in modern Chinese, so you only need to learn 把 and 扑.

Q: In what contexts is 把 used in modern Chinese?

把 is very common as a grammatical particle in the '把 construction', which places the object before the verb, like '把门打开' (open the door). It also appears in words like 把握 (to grasp) and is essential for expressing handling or disposal of objects in Chinese.

Q: What common words use 把?

Common words containing 把 include: 把握 (bǎ wò) — To grasp, or the certainty of success.; 把柄 (bǎ bǐng) — A handle, or leverage over someone.; 把守 (bǎ shǒu) — To guard / to stand guard..

bǎ/bà HSK Level 3 7 strokes Radical: 扌

把 (bǎ/bà) means "to hold; (grammatical particle); (measure word for objects with handles)" in Chinese. It has 7 strokes with the radical 扌, and is HSK Level 3.

Rated 3.5/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 40% of HSK Level 3 characters.

Appears in 4+ common words including 把握 (bǎ wò), 把柄 (bǎ bǐng), 把守 (bǎ shǒu).

Due to its 7 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 把 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 把 (bǎ/bà)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 把 with real-time feedback.

App Store ▶ Google Play

How to Write 把

The character 把 (bǎ/bà) is written with 7 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 扌 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does bǎ/bà (把) Mean in Chinese?

把 means to hold; (grammatical particle); (measure word for objects with handles).

This is a polyphonic character with readings: bǎ, bà.

As an HSK Level 3 character, 把 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	把
Pinyin	bǎ / bà (ba)
Meaning	to hold; (grammatical particle); (measure word for objects with handles)
Strokes	7
Radical	扌
HSK Level	3
Difficulty	3.5/5

Origin of 把

把 combines the hand radical 扌 (hand) with 巴 (ba), which originally depicted a snake but here suggests grasping or clinging. Together, they convey the idea of holding something by its handle, like gripping a tool or object.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a hand (扌) gripping a snake (巴) by its tail—you're holding it firmly, like a handle.

Common Words with 把

把握 bǎ wò

To grasp, or the certainty of success.

把柄 bǎ bǐng

A handle, or leverage over someone.

把守 bǎ shǒu

To guard / to stand guard.

刀把儿 dāo bà er

Knife handle

Example Sentences

我们要好好把握这次出国留学的机会。

wǒ men yào hǎo hǎo bǎ wò zhè cì chū guó liú xué de jī huì

We must make the most of this opportunity to study abroad.

别让对手抓住你的任何把柄。

bié ràng duì shǒu zhuā zhù nǐ de rèn hé bǎ bǐng

Don't let your opponent get any leverage over you.

门口有人把守。

mén kǒu yǒu rén bǎ shǒu 。

There are people guarding the door.

这把菜刀的刀把儿松动了。

zhè bǎ cài dāo de dāo bà er sōng dòng le

The handle of this kitchen knife has come loose.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
把 (current)	bǎ / bà	7	扌
扑	pū	5	扌
扒	bā / pá	5	扌
打	dá / dǎ	5	扌

Practice Writing 把 (bǎ/bà)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 把 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

App Store ▶ Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions about 把

What are the components of 把 and how do they relate to its meaning?

把 is made of the left radical 扌 (hand) and the right part 巴. The hand radical shows it involves an action of the hand, and 巴 suggests grasping or clinging, together meaning 'to hold' or 'to grasp'.

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 把?

What are important writing tips for writing 把 correctly?

How can I distinguish 把 from similar characters like 扑 and 㧜?

In what contexts is 把 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 把?

How to Write 把 (bǎ/bà) — Meaning “to hold; (grammatical particle); (measure word for objects with handles)”

Practice Writing 把 (bǎ/bà)

How to Write 把

What Does bǎ/bà (把) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 把

Common Words with 把

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 把 (bǎ/bà)

Frequently Asked Questions about 把

More HSK Level 3 Characters

Characters with Radical 扌

Other 7-Stroke Characters