How to Write 靶 (bǎ) — Meaning “Target”

Picture a leather target with a big letter 'B' painted on it — the left side 革 looks like a leather shield, and the right side 巴 resembles a bow and arrow hitting the center. This visual connects the shape of 靶 to its meaning as a target.

The left radical 革 has 9 strokes, so be careful to keep the horizontal lines evenly spaced. The right part 巴 has 4 strokes with a vertical hook at the end; a common mistake is making the left side too wide or the right side too small, which disrupts the balance.

All three characters share the 革 radical, but the right components differ: 靶 has 巴 (bā), 靳 has 斤 (jǐn, meaning "axe") and means "stubborn" or a surname, while 靴 has 化 (huà) and means "boots." To tell them apart, focus on the right side — only 靶 is related to targets.

靶 appears in words like 靶子 (target), 打靶 (target practice), and 靶场 (shooting range), common in military, police, and sports contexts. In Chinese culture, target practice is an important part of military training and also appears in competitive archery and shooting events.

Common words containing 靶 include: 靶子 (bǎ zi) — Target; 打靶 (dǎ bǎ) — target practice; 靶场 (bǎ chǎng) — Shooting range.