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拊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
拊fǔto pat, to slap, to tap; the handle of a vesselg, 8 strokes, radical 扌
拊fǔpatunknown, 8 strokes, radical 扌
fǔ(fu3) T3
  1. 1to pat, to slap, to tap; the handle of a vessel
  2. 2pat
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March 24, 2026

拊fǔ(fu3)

The character 拊 (fǔ) means to pat, slap, or tap something lightly. It can also refer to the handle of a vessel, indicating a physical action that is gentle rather than forceful. This term is often used in contexts where a light touch or encouragement is conveyed.

Strokes8Radical扌
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, gentle gestures, such as patting or tapping, are often used to communicate reassurance or support, especially in familial or close friendships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a gentle bird (the character's left side, 扌, represents a hand) patting its nest (the right side, 夫, looks like a roof). The bird softly taps on the nest, reinforcing the meaning of 'to pat'. The sound 'fǔ' sounds like 'fool', reminding you that a fool might lightly tap something without understanding it fully.

Meanings of 拊

fǔ(fu3)
1to pat, to slap, to tap; the handle of a vessel
2pat
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 拊

拊Simplified
8Strokes
扌Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 拊

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Podcast: 拊

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AI Study Notes for 拊

Quick Contrast

拍 (pāi) - use 拊 (fǔ) for a gentle touch, while 拍 (pāi) implies a stronger, more forceful action.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 拊 (fǔ) with similar-sounding characters. It's used in informal contexts and is less common in formal writing. Common collocations include 拊肩 (to pat on the shoulder) and 拊背 (to pat on the back).

HSK Study Tips

Although 拊 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it shares components with other characters that involve the hand (扌). Focus on characters that denote actions, particularly those that involve physical interaction.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 拊 (fǔ) with 拍 (pāi), which means to clap or hit. For example, saying 拊手 (fǔ shǒu) instead of 拍手 (pāi shǒu) would be incorrect, as 拊 suggests a lighter touch rather than clapping.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 拊

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Etymology of 拊

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
+
Phonetic (sound)付
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

拊 = 扌 + 付. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 拊

IDS Structure⿰扌付
拊Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
付Fu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 拊?

How to say to pat, to slap, to tap; the handle of a vessel in Chinese

“to pat, to slap, to tap; the handle of a vessel” in Chinese is拊fǔ

The character 拊 (fǔ) means to pat, slap, or tap something lightly. It can also refer to the handle of a vessel, indicating a physical action that is gentle rather than forceful. This term is often used in contexts where a light touch or encouragement is conveyed.

When to use 拊

Be careful not to confuse 拊 (fǔ) with similar-sounding characters. It's used in informal contexts and is less common in formal writing. Common collocations include 拊肩 (to pat on the shoulder) and 拊背 (to pat on the back).

拊 or something close to it

拍 (pāi) - use 拊 (fǔ) for a gentle touch, while 拍 (pāi) implies a stronger, more forceful action.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 拊 (fǔ) with 拍 (pāi), which means to clap or hit. For example, saying 拊手 (fǔ shǒu) instead of 拍手 (pāi shǒu) would be incorrect, as 拊 suggests a lighter touch rather than clapping.

Write 拊

拊

Practice writing 拊 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 拊

Words Containing This Character2
拊fǔpat
拊掌to clap hands
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 拊

What does 拊掌 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 拊

No, 拊 is not frequently used in everyday conversation and is more likely to appear in literary or formal contexts.

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