Definitions

bān (noun) kind; sort; type; manner; way
pán (noun) (archaic) music

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "tray", now written as /. The current meaning is a phonetic loan. The original component was later corrupted to (boat).

About

The character 般 combines the left-side radical 舟 (boat) with the right-side radical 殳, depicting a hand holding a tool or weapon to indicate an action. Originally, this structure represented the physical act of turning a boat with a pole or oar, conveying a sense of maneuvering or changing direction on water. Over time, its concrete nautical meaning faded, and the character shifted to primarily serve grammatical roles, acting as a classifier or a noun meaning “a sort,” “a kind,” or “a general way,” as seen in compounds expressing similarity or categories.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我一早上跑步。

Wǒ yìbān zǎoshang pǎobù.

I generally run in the morning.

她像天使美丽。

Tā xiàng tiānshǐ bān měilì.

She is as beautiful as an angel.

风景真迷人。

Zhè bān fēngjǐng zhēn mírén.

This kind of scenery is really charming.

他百尝试却失败了。

Tā bǎibān chángshì què shībài le.

He tried in every possible way but failed.

人生有百滋味需体验。

Rénshēng yǒu bǎibān zīwèi xū tǐyàn.

Life has all kinds of flavors that need to be experienced.

他对待朋友如兄弟真诚。

Tā duìdài péngyǒu rú xiōngdì bān zhēnchéng.

He treats friends as sincerely as brothers.

她展现出女王的自信与优雅。

Tā zhǎnxiàn chū nǚwáng bān de zìxìn yǔ yōuyǎ.

She displays queen-like confidence and elegance.

尽管前方有百艰难,我们也要勇往直前。

Jǐnguǎn qiánfāng yǒu bǎibān jiānnán, wǒmen yě yào yǒngwǎngzhíqián.

Even though there are all kinds of difficulties ahead, we must forge ahead bravely.