How to Write 啪 (pā) — Meaning “Pop; bang; slap (onomatopoeia)”

Imagine a mouth (口) saying 'pa!' as a hand slaps (拍) a table. The combination 口+拍 makes the sound 啪, just like the word 'pop' or 'bang' in English.

The left side 口 (3 strokes) should be small and sit in the upper-left area. The right side 拍 has 8 strokes: start with 扌 (hand radical), then write 白 (bái) — be careful not to make the bottom of 白 too wide, as it can unbalance the character.

啪 is a loud popping or slapping sound, while 呲 (cī) imitates a hiss or tearing noise, and 咠 (qì) means a whisper or soft speaking. Visually, 啪 has 拍 on the right, 呲 has 此 (this/now), and 咠 has 耳 (ear) — each uses a different phonetic part to suggest a different sound.

啪 is commonly used in comics, conversations, and written descriptions to represent sudden sounds like a slap, a light switch clicking, or something falling (e.g., 啪的一声 means 'with a bang'). It is not in HSK but appears frequently in daily life, especially in expressions like 啪啪 (clapping) or 啪嗒 (a click or drop).

Common words containing 啪 include: 啪的一声 (pā de yī shēng) — With a bang; with a click; with a snap; 啪嗒 (pā dā) — Sound of something falling or clicking; 啪啪 (pā pā) — Sound of clapping or slapping.