Definitions

bān (verb) to move; to relocate; to shift
bān (verb) to copy; to transcribe

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

Composed of the hand radical "扌" and the phonetic element "般", the character "搬" originally conveyed the specific action of moving objects by hand, as implied by its structural components, with the phonetic part primarily indicating pronunciation rather than meaning. Its meaning gradually extended beyond physical manipulation to include the relocation of people or possessions, such as moving house, and further metaphorical applications like transferring concepts or methods, reflecting an adaptation to broader linguistic contexts while retaining its foundational association with manual activity.

Example Sentences Hide

我正在椅子。

Wǒ zhèngzài bān yǐzi.

I am moving the chair.

他们明天家。

Tāmen míngtiān bān jiā.

They are moving house tomorrow.

重物要小心。

Bān zhòngwù yào xiǎoxīn.

Be careful when moving heavy objects.

我们帮邻居家具。

Wǒmen bāng línjū bān jiājù.

We help the neighbor move furniture.

新家后我很开心。

Bān xīn jiā hòu wǒ hěn kāixīn.

After moving to a new home, I am very happy.

他打算到大城市去。

Tā dǎsuàn bān dào dà chéngshì qù.

He plans to move to a big city.

运工人每天都很辛苦。

Bānyùn gōngrén měitiān dōu hěn xīnkǔ.

The movers work hard every day.

这家公司正在迁办公室。

Zhè jiā gōngsī zhèngzài bānqiān bàngōngshì.

This company is relocating its office.