八 bā eight
How it came to be
象形 · Pictogram · 假借 borrowed for its sound
A drawing of the thing it means.
The oracle bone form is two lines bending away from each other, meaning to divide; the number eight later borrowed it for its sound.
How it is used
- Eight: 八个 (bā ge) eight of, 八点 (bā diǎn) 8 o'clock, 八月 (bāyuè) August.
- A lucky number (sounds like 发 fā, 'get rich'). 八卦 (bāguà) also means gossip.
Characters built with 八
- 分 divide
- 只 single
- 公 public
- 真 truly
- 识 recognize
- 六 six
- 兴 excited
- 共 collectively
- 办 manage
- 典 reference book
- 具 tool
- 供 to supply
- 举 lift
- 父 father
- 职 duty
- 积 store up
- 份 measure word for portions and documents
- 松 pine tree
- 填 fill
- 扮 costume
- 傻 silly
- 协 to assist
- 恭 polite
- 慎 cautious
- 盆 basin
- 纷 tangled
- 织 to knit
- 胁 to threaten
- 俱 all
- 惧 to fear
- 氛 air
- 洪 deluge
- 盼 to look
- 粉 powder
- 誉 fame
- 贫 poor
- 镇 calm
- 勘 to investigate
- 叭 trumpet
- 吩 to order
Words with 八
- 五花八门wǔhuā-bāménmyriadHSK 7
- 八成bāchéngeighty percentHSK 7
- 四面八方sìmiàn-bāfāngall directionsHSK 7
- 七嘴八舌qīzuǐ-bāshélively discussion with everybody talking at onceHSK 8
- 乱七八糟luànqībāzāochaoticHSK 8
- 八卦bāguàthe eight divinatory trigrams of the Book of Changes 易经HSK 8
- 四通八达sìtōng-bādároads open in all directions (idiom)HSK 8
Example sentences
- 妹妹八岁了。 Mèimei bā suì le.My younger sister is eight years old.