How to Write 拜 (bài) — Meaning “To worship / to pay respect / to visit”

Imagine you are bowing to someone with your hands together — the left side 扌 looks like one hand, and the right side resembles two hands pressed together as you bend forward. The word "拜" sounds like "bye", so picture saying goodbye with a respectful bow. This connects the shape, sound, and meaning of showing respect.

Write the left radical 扌 first (three strokes), then the right side starting with a short left-falling stroke, followed by three horizontal strokes and one vertical stroke through them. A common mistake is making the right side look like 手 (hand) — remember that 拜's right side has four horizontal lines (the top one is a short diagonal) rather than a curved hook. Keep the left side narrow and the right side balanced.

拜 means "to worship" or "to visit", while 扭 means "to twist" and has the right side 丑 (ugly), which looks like a long horizontal with a vertical. The rare character 㧜 means "to grasp" and has a completely different right side. Visually, 拜's right side is taller and has more horizontal strokes than the compact 丑 in 扭.

拜 appears in common phrases like 拜访 (to visit formally), 拜年 (to pay New Year's calls), and 礼拜 (week or religious service). It is used in respectful, ceremonial, or polite contexts, especially during holidays like Chinese New Year when 拜年 is a tradition. Understanding 拜 helps learners grasp Chinese etiquette and the importance of showing respect in social interactions.

Common words containing 拜 include: 拜访 (bài fǎng) — To visit / to pay a call; 拜年 (bài nián) — To pay a New Year's call; 礼拜 (lǐ bài) — Week / Religious service.