把
hold; control; guard; preposition; measure word; handle
Meanings
14 senses · 40 examplesverb
to grip; to hold with hands
Used for holding objects tightly with both hands or one hand.
He gripped the steering wheel with both hands and steered the boat steadily.
The soldiers held their submachine guns and stared warily ahead.
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Please hold onto the railing, watch out for slipping.
She held my hand to teach me how to write.
Don't hold your pen the wrong way.
verb
to assist a child to urinate/defecate
informalCommonly used in daily childcare scenarios, often shortened to 把尿 in spoken Chinese.
Older generations often help toddlers urinate by holding their legs.
Don't always help toddlers urinate, it will affect their independent toilet training habits.
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The babysitter is helping the baby urinate.
verb
to control; to monopolize
formalUsed for controlling power, resources or work without letting others participate.
As a leader, you should trust the masses and not monopolize all work and refuse to delegate.
He monopolizes the company's core business and won't let others get involved.
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A small group monopolizes public resources, harming the interests of the majority.
verb
to guard; to defend
neutralUsed for protecting a location or entrance from unauthorized access.
The security guard is guarding the gate and won't let strangers enter the community.
The soldiers are guarding the pass to repel foreign invaders.
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Please guard the warehouse door to prevent goods from being lost.
verb
to lean close to; to stand by
informalCommonly used in spoken colloquial Chinese to describe being close to a surface or location.
Please stand by the corner, don't block the path.
There is a small snack shop selling candied hawthorns right by the alley entrance.
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He leaned against the doorframe chatting with his neighbor.
verb
to fasten; to secure in place
formalUsed for fixing cracks, gaps or loose parts to prevent them from opening.
The workers used iron plates to secure the crack to prevent the wall from collapsing.
Please hold this wooden board in place so it doesn't fall down.
verb
to give; to hand over
dialectA regional dialect usage, mainly used in some northern Chinese dialects.
Give me a book to read.
He gave an apple to the little brother.
noun
handle; grip
neutralRefers specifically to the handlebar of a bicycle, motorcycle or other vehicle.
The handlebar of that bicycle broke, so it can't be ridden anymore.
Anti-slip covers were installed on the motorcycle handlebars.
noun
bundle; bunch
neutralUsed for bundled items such as straw, sticks or dried plants.
The farmers piled the straw into bundles.
There is a bundle of sorghum stalks in the yard.
measure word
measure word for handled items; handfuls
neutralHas multiple usage categories, see sub-definitions a-d for details.
There is a knife and a teapot on the table.
She grabbed a handful of rice and put it into the pot.
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He is already quite advanced in age but still insists on working.
Please give me a hand, I can't move this box.
This chair looks very sturdy.
preposition
disposal marker; causative marker
neutralGrammar note: The object of 把 must be a specific, definite noun; the verb must have a complement or additional modifier in most cases.
She turned her head away and ignored the calls behind her.
Please wash the clothes clean before hanging them up to dry.
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This good news made him extremely happy.
He was almost driven crazy because he couldn't find his keys.
We were supposed to finish on time, but Lao Zhang fell ill and delayed the progress.
suffix
approximate quantity marker
informalCannot be preceded by a number, used to express an approximate amount close to the given measure word.
I waited about a month to receive a reply.
This stone weighs about a hundred jin.
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He bought about a jin of cherries.
adjective
sworn (brother/sister)
formalUsed to describe the relationship between people who have sworn brotherhood/sisterhood.
They are sworn brothers and have a very close relationship.
His sworn sister-in-law has helped us a lot.
proper noun
surname Ba
A relatively rare Chinese surname.