How to Write 般 (bān) — Meaning “sort / kind / manner”

Imagine a boat (舟) carrying different kinds of weapons (殳) — each weapon represents a different 'sort' or 'type' of tool. This visual helps you link the left and right parts to the meaning of 'sort' or 'kind'.

Write 舟 first (6 strokes: left vertical, horizontal, horizontal, left-falling, vertical hook, horizontal), then 殳 on the right (4 strokes: short left-falling, horizontal, right-falling, pressing). A common mistake is making the 舟 radical too wide or forgetting the hook at the bottom of 舟.

般 has the right side 殳, while 舡 has 工 (meaning a boat, very rare) and 舢 has 山 (meaning a small boat). 般 is the only one used for the abstract meaning 'sort' or 'kind'; the other two refer to physical boats and are much less common.

般 appears most often in the word 一般 (yībān), meaning 'general' or 'ordinary', which you will see daily — for example, 一般情况 (general situation). It is also used in 般配 (well-matched) and 百般 (in every possible way). There is no special cultural meaning, but 一般 is a core HSK 2 word for describing common things.

Common words containing 般 include: 一般 (yì bān) — general; ordinary; common; 般配 (bān pèi) — well-matched / to match; 百般 (bǎi bān) — In every possible way.