扮

bàn

分 + 扌

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

bàn (verb) to dress up as; to disguise oneself as; to play (a role)

bàn (verb) to put on (an expression)

Etymology

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

Semantic: 扌 Phonetic: 分

About

A phonosemantic compound, 扮 combines the hand radical 扌 (shǒu) on the left, indicating manual action, with the phonetic 分 (fēn) on the right. It means to dress up, play a role, or disguise oneself, the character evokes using the hands to alter appearance, applying makeup or donning costumes. Widely used in theater for portraying a character, it also applies to everyday situations of adopting a look or pretending to be someone else.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

她喜欢打扮自己。

Tā xǐhuān dǎbàn zìjǐ.

She likes to dress herself up.

他扮演一个医生。

Tā bànyǎn yī gè yīshēng.

He plays the role of a doctor.

妈妈打扮得很漂亮。

Māma dǎbàn de hěn piàoliang.

Mom dresses up very beautifully.

孩子们扮成动物。

Háizimen bànchéng dòngwù.

The children dress up as animals.

她在剧中扮演女主角。

Tā zài jù zhōng bànyǎn nǚ zhǔjué.

She plays the female lead in the play.

他扮鬼脸吓唬小朋友。

Tā bàn guǐliǎn xiàhu xiǎo péngyǒu.

He makes a scary face to scare the children.

为了派对，她精心打扮了一番。

Wèile pàiduì, tā jīngxīn dǎbàn le yī fān.

For the party, she dressed up meticulously.

演员必须扮演出角色的内心世界。

Yǎnyuán bìxū bànyǎn chū juésè de nèixīn shìjiè.

Actors must portray the inner world of the characters.

Related Characters

Component: 分

Component: 扌

扮