Definitions

bǎi (verb) to arrange; to display
bǎi (verb) to swing; to sway
bǎi (noun) pendulum

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "摆", with its traditional form "擺", is structured with the hand radical (扌) on the left, denoting manual action, and the component "罢" or "罷" on the right, which functions phonetically. Etymologically, this character initially meant to arrange or place objects, aligning with the hand radical's implication of physical handling. Over time, its meaning extended to include swinging or oscillating motions, such as that of a pendulum, and further evolved to encompass senses like displaying or exhibiting items in an ordered fashion. The traditional form "擺" incorporates "罷", a character meaning to cease, though here it primarily contributes sound rather than meaning, and the semantic expansion from arrangement to motion arose through contextual applications in the language.

Example Sentences Hide

我把花在窗前。

Wǒ bǎ huā bǎi zài chuāng qián.

I place the flowers in front of the window.

妈妈好了餐具。

Māma bǎi hǎo le cānjù.

Mom set the tableware.

柳枝在风中动。

Liǔzhī zài fēng zhōng bǎidòng.

The willow branches sway in the wind.

他喜欢弄手机。

Tā xǐhuan bǎinòng shǒujī.

He likes to fiddle with his phone.

桌子上满了食物。

Zhuōzi shàng bǎi mǎn le shíwù.

The table is covered with food.

出各种姿势拍照。

Tā bǎi chū gè zhǒng zīshì pāizhào.

She struck various poses for photos.

双方明了各自的观点。

Shuāngfāng bǎi míng le gèzì de guāndiǎn.

Both sides clearly stated their respective viewpoints.

他总爱在别人面前架子。

Tā zǒng ài zài biérén miànqián bǎi jiàzi.

He always likes to put on airs in front of others.