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拍 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
拍pāito patHSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #475, Medium
拍pāito clapHSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #475, Medium
拍pāito slapHSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #475, Medium
拍pāito swatHSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #475, Medium
拍pāito take (a photo)HSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #475, Medium
拍pāito shoot (a film)HSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #475, Medium
拍pāiracket (sports)HSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #475, Medium
拍pāibeat (music)HSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #475, Medium
拍pāito clap, to tap; to hit, to beat, to slap; beat, rhythmHSK 4, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #475, Medium
pāi(pai1) T1
  1. 1to pat
  2. 2to clap
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
拍pāi(pai1)

The character 拍 (pāi) primarily means to pat, clap, or slap. It is commonly used in contexts involving physical actions like taking photos or shooting films, as well as in musical settings to describe rhythm or beat. This character can also refer to the act of striking or hitting something with an open hand.

Strokes8Radical扌Frequency#475DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, photography is highly valued, especially during festivals and family gatherings. The act of 拍 is often associated with capturing memories, and taking photos is a common practice during celebrations.

Memory Tip

Imagine you are at a concert, and you clap (拍) your hands to the beat of the music. The left half of the character (扌) represents a hand, while the right side (白) can remind you of the brightness of a flash from a camera as you take a photo (拍). So, think of 'clapping hands' and 'camera flashes' when you see 拍.

Meanings of 拍

pāi(pai1)
1to pat
2to clap
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 拍

拍Simplified
8Strokes
扌Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#475Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 拍

JasonAmy

Podcast: 拍

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 拍

Quick Contrast

拍 (pāi) vs 打 (dǎ): Use 拍 for actions involving clapping or taking photos, while 打 refers to hitting or striking something with force.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine you are at a concert, and you clap (拍) your hands to the beat of the music. The left half of the character (扌) represents a hand, while the right side (白) can remind you of the brightness of a flash from a camera as you take a photo (拍). So, think of 'clapping hands' and 'camera flashes' when you see 拍.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 拍 with 打 (dǎ), which means to hit or strike in a more aggressive manner. 拍 is typically used in informal contexts, such as expressing excitement or joy, while 打 is more general. Be cautious with tones; using the wrong tone can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 拍 connects with other action verbs like 打 (dǎ) and 拍摄 (pāishè, to shoot a film). Students should focus on practicing the various contexts in which 拍 can be used, especially in colloquial speech and media-related scenarios.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, photography is highly valued, especially during festivals and family gatherings. The act of 拍 is often associated with capturing memories, and taking photos is a common practice during celebrations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 拍 in contexts that require 打 (dǎ), such as saying 拍球 (pāiqiú) instead of 打球 (dǎqiú) for 'playing ball.' Ensure you use 拍 only for actions related to clapping, patting, or taking photos.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 拍

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Etymology of 拍

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

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 白 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hand

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 拍?

Decomposition of 拍

IDS Structure⿰扌白
拍Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
白Bai2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 拍?

Write 拍

拍

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 拍

拍 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 9 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

Related grammar lessons2
是…的 emphasis是 + [V] + 的
HSK 3

This pattern emphasizes the action taken, often used to clarify the details of the action.

我是拍照片的。

Wǒ shì pāi zhàopiàn de.

I am the one who takes photos.

Exercise 1 of 3

Complete the Sentence

这里不能____照。

You can't take photos here.

Common Confusions with 拍

拍vs排
pái

Similar pronunciation but different meanings.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to pat"?

or

Usage Notes for 拍

Misuse in contextCommon Error

Some learners confuse 拍 with other action verbs like 打 (dǎ, to hit), which can lead to incorrect usage. 拍 is specifically used for actions like patting or clapping.

1

我拍了照片，而不是打了照片。

I took photos, not hit photos.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

我____了照片，而不是打了照片。

I took photos, not hit photos.

Example Sentences for 拍 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他们给我量了脉搏、血压，还给我的下颌拍了X光片。

tā mén gěi wǒ liáng le mài bó、 、 xiě， yā ， huán gěi wǒ de xià héX pāi le。

They took my pulse, took my blood pressure, and X-rayed my jaw.
2
理查德·张伯伦已经同意接拍《荆棘鸟》的续集。

lǐ chá dé· · zhāng bó lún yǐ jīng tóng yì jiē《 pāi 《 jīng》 jí niǎo 》。

Richard Chamberlain has agreed to make a sequel to "The Thorn Birds".
3
你将在拍卖会上见到的许多车辆都是被收回物品。

nǐ jiāng zài pāi mài huì shàng jiàn dào de xǔ duō chē liàng dū shì bèi shōu huí wù pǐn。

Many of the cars you will see at auction are repossessions.
4
这笔交易是该拍卖行的一大成功之举。

zhè bǐ jiāo yì shì gāi pāi mài háng de yī dà chéng gōng zhī jǔ。

The sale is a big coup for the auction house.
5
如果天气不好，我就不拍照了。

rú guǒ tiān qì bù hǎo， ， wǒ jiù bù pāi zhào。

If the weather's no good then I won't take any pictures.
6
这幅油画在佳士得的拍卖会上被交易商拍走。

zhè fú yóu huà zài jiā shì dé de pāi mài huì shàng bèi jiāo yì shāng pāi zǒu。

The painting was bought by dealers at the Christie's sale.
7
该三件套是苏富比艺术品拍卖会上的一件拍品。

gāi sān jiàn tào shì sū fù bǐ yì shù pǐn pāi mài huì shàng de yī jiàn pāi pǐn。

The trio are part of Sotheby's sale of Works of Art.
8
用手指头肚儿轻拍脸颊一遍。

yòng shǒu zhǐ tóu dù ér qīng pāi liǎn jiá yī biàn。

Tap your cheeks all over with the pads of your fingers.
9
你要做的就是拍一段家庭录像片。

nǐ yào zuò de jiù shì pāi yī duàn jiā tíng lù xiàng piàn。

All you have to do is make a home video.
10
图尔金拍拍他的肩膀。“不好意思打断您一下，上校。”

tú ěr jīn pāi pāi tā de jiān bǎng。“ 。“ bù hǎo yì sī dǎ duàn nín yī， xià ，。”

Turkin tapped him on the shoulder. "Sorry to interrupt, Colonel."

Cultural Notes for 拍

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, photography is highly valued, especially during festivals and family gatherings. The act of 拍 is often associated with capturing memories, and taking photos is a common practice during celebrations.

Word Family of 拍

Compounds1
啪pa1onomatopoetic, a bang sound
Words Containing This Character20
拍pāito pat
拍摄pāishèto film拍攝
拍照pāizhàoto take a picture
拍卖pāimàito auction拍賣
开拍to start the bidding (auction)開拍
拍卖会auction拍賣會
偷拍to take a picture of a person without permission or without their knowledge
拍戏pāixìto shoot a movie拍戲
拍打to pat
合拍to keep in step with
节拍meter節拍
拍手to clap one's hands
拍马屁to flatter拍馬屁
拍拖(dialect) to date sb
拍电影to make a movie拍電影
拍子beat (music)
拍片to film
球拍qiúpāiracket
拍板pāibǎnclapper-board
一拍即合to hit it off
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 啪 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 拍

Yes, 拍 can be used in both formal and informal contexts. For example, taking a photo at a wedding would be formal, while clapping at a concert is informal. The context will usually determine its usage.