How to Write 班 (bān) — Meaning “Class”

Imagine a jade stone (王) being cut by a knife (刀) with a dot (丶) to separate it into different piles. This visual of dividing jade into classes helps you remember that 班 means 'class' or 'group'.

Write the left part 王 as three horizontal strokes and one vertical, then write the right part starting with the knife radical 刀 (horizontal hook, then left stroke) and finally add a dot below the hook. A common mistake is making the hook too large or placing the dot too far from the knife.

班 contains a knife component (刀), while 玟 and 玡 both have the radical 王 but different right parts: 玟 has 文 (pattern) and 玡 has 牙 (tooth). 玟 means a jade with patterns, and 玡 is a type of jade, whereas 班 means class or group.

班 is used for any organized group, like 班级 (class) at school or 上班 (going to work). It also appears in 加班 (work overtime), reflecting a common part of Chinese work culture where extra hours are often expected.

Common words containing 班 include: 班级 (bān jí) — Class; 上班 (shàng bān) — To go to work; 加班 (jiā bān) — work overtime.