吧

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

吧 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+4, 7 strokes, cangjie input 口日山 (RAU), four-corner 6701₇, composition ⿰口巴)

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 178, character 4
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3341
Dae Jaweon: page 395, character 12
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 596, character 6
Unihan data for U+5427

Chinese

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (巴) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
巴	*praː
芭	*praː
笆	praː, braːʔ
豝	*praː
鈀	praː, pʰraː
吧	praː, pʰraː
蚆	praː, pʰraː
疤	*praː
把	*praːʔ
爸	praːs, baʔ
弝	*praːs
靶	*praːs
葩	*pʰraː
舥	*pʰraː
妑	*pʰraː
帊	*pʰraːs
琶	*braː
爬	*braː
杷	braː, braːs, *braːs
跁	braːʔ, braːs
耙	*braːs

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声 (xíngshēng)): semantic 口 (kǒu) + phonetic 巴 (OC *praː).

Etymology 1

simp. and trad.		吧
alternative forms		罷／罢

From 罷／罢 (bà) and 夫 (OC *ba, “is it not?”), itself a contraction of 不乎.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): ba (ba⁵／ba⁰)

(Zhuyin): ˙ㄅㄚ
Cantonese (Jyutping): baa⁶
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): pā / --pa

(Teochew, Peng'im): ba⁷

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: ba
  - Zhuyin: ˙ㄅㄚ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: bå
  - Wade–Giles: pa⁵
  - Yale: ba
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: .ba
  - Palladius: ба (ba)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /b̥ä/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: baa⁶
  - Yale: bah
  - Cantonese Pinyin: baa⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: ba⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /paː²²/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pā
  - Tâi-lô: pā
  - Phofsit Daibuun: pa
  - IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /pa³³/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: --pa
  - Tâi-lô: --pa
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: ba⁷
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: pā
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pa¹¹/

Definitions

吧 (chiefly Mandarin)

Emphatic final particle; used at the end of a sentence to
1. indicate a suggested action: why don't you ...; let us ...
  你有時間再做吧。 [MSC, trad.]
  你有时间再做吧。 [MSC, simp.]
  Nǐ yǒu shíjiān zài zuò ba. [Pinyin]
  Do it when you have time.
  
  大家去工作吧。 ― Dàjiā qù gōngzuò ba. ― Get to work, everybody.
  
  走吧！ ― Zǒu ba! ― Let's go!
2. indicate a speculation.
  門還沒鎖吧。／门还没锁吧。 ― Mén hái méi suǒ ba. ― The door has not been locked, I guess.
Used at the end of a sentence used to concede a point.
好吧！ ― Hǎo ba! ― Alright!

算了吧。 ― Suànle ba. ― Whatever.
Used at the end of a sentence used to indicate disapproving incredulousness.
不是吧！ ― Bù shì ba! ― No way!
Used after the topic for emphasis.
他這人吧，脾氣不太好。 [MSC, trad.]
他这人吧，脾气不太好。 [MSC, simp.]
Tā zhè rén ba, píqì bù tài hǎo. [Pinyin]
He is not that good-tempered a person.

Usage notes

Adoption into Cantonese has been increasing, especially in Mainland China.

Synonyms

(imperative): (Hokkien) 好 (hó), 乎 (hohⁿ / hôⁿ / hōⁿ / hoⁿ)

Dialectal synonyms of 吧 (“(sentence-final particle used with a command or suggestion)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		吧
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	吧
Northeastern Mandarin	Singapore	啦, 吧
Cantonese	Guangzhou	啦
	Hong Kong	啦
	Singapore (Guangfu)	啦
Southern Min	Xiamen	閣
	Quanzhou	唷
	Zhangzhou	閣
	Singapore (Hokkien)	啦

(speculation): (Hokkien, Teochew) 閣／阁 (koh), 唷 (ió / ó), 好 (hó), 乎 (hohⁿ / hôⁿ / hōⁿ / hoⁿ)

Dialectal synonyms of 吧 (“(sentence-final particle indicating speculation)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		吧
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	吧
Northeastern Mandarin	Singapore	吧
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	吧
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	吧
Cantonese	Guangzhou	啩
	Hong Kong	啩
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	啩
	Taishan	估啊
	Kaiping (Chikan)	估啊
	Enping (Niujiang)	估啊
	Dongguan	啩

(incredulousness): (Cantonese) 啊嘛 (aa6 maa5), (Hokkien, Teochew) 啦 (--la / --lah), 啊 (--a / --ah)

Etymology 2

simp. and trad.		吧

Onomatopoeic.

Pronunciation 1

Mandarin
(Pinyin): bā (ba¹)

(Zhuyin): ㄅㄚ
Cantonese (Jyutping): baa¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: bā
  - Zhuyin: ㄅㄚ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: ba
  - Wade–Giles: pa¹
  - Yale: bā
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ba
  - Palladius: ба (ba)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pä⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: baa¹
  - Yale: bā
  - Cantonese Pinyin: baa¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: ba¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /paː⁵⁵/

Definitions

吧

(onomatopoeia) sound of crackling; crack

Pronunciation 2

Mandarin
(Pinyin): biā (bia¹)

(Zhuyin): ㄅㄧㄚ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: biā
  - Zhuyin: ㄅㄧㄚ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: bia
  - Wade–Giles: pia¹
  - Yale: byā
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bia
  - Palladius: бя (bja)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pi̯ä⁵⁵/

Definitions

吧

(onomatopoeia) pow!; smack!

Etymology 3

simp. and trad.		吧

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): bā (ba¹)

(Zhuyin): ㄅㄚ
Cantonese (Jyutping): baa¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: bā
  - Zhuyin: ㄅㄚ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: ba
  - Wade–Giles: pa¹
  - Yale: bā
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ba
  - Palladius: ба (ba)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pä⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: baa¹
  - Yale: bā
  - Cantonese Pinyin: baa¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: ba¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /paː⁵⁵/

Definitions

吧

(dialectal) to smoke (a cigarette)

Etymology 4

simp. and trad.		吧

Borrowed from English bar.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): bā (ba¹)

(Zhuyin): ㄅㄚ
Cantonese (Jyutping): baa¹
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): pâ
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): pa

(Teochew, Peng'im): ba¹
Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹pa

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: bā
  - Zhuyin: ㄅㄚ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: ba
  - Wade–Giles: pa¹
  - Yale: bā
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ba
  - Palladius: ба (ba)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pä⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: baa¹
  - Yale: bā
  - Cantonese Pinyin: baa¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: ba¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /paː⁵⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: pâ
  - Hakka Romanization System: ba^ˊ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: ba¹
  - Sinological IPA: /pa²⁴/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pa
  - Tâi-lô: pa
  - Phofsit Daibuun: paf
  - IPA (Xiamen): /pa⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /pa³³/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /pa⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Taipei): /pa⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /pa⁴⁴/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: ba¹
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: pa
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pa³³/
Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ¹pa
  - MiniDict: pa^平
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹pa
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /pa⁵³/

Definitions

吧

bar
酒吧 ― jiǔbā ― bar; pub

貼吧／贴吧 ― tiēbā ― internet board (lit. posting bar)

玩具吧 ― wánjù bā ― toy shop
Short for 貼吧／贴吧 (Tiēbā, “internet board”).
Used in transcription.
迪吧 ― díbā ― diva

Compounds

吧檯／吧台 (bātái)
氧吧 (yǎngbā)
網吧／网吧 (wǎngbā)
貼吧／贴吧 (Tiēbā)
迪吧 (díbā)
酒吧 (jiǔbā)

Etymology 5

simp. and trad.		吧

Pronunciation 1

Mandarin
(Pinyin): bā (ba¹)

(Zhuyin): ㄅㄚ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: bā
  - Zhuyin: ㄅㄚ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: ba
  - Wade–Giles: pa¹
  - Yale: bā
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ba
  - Palladius: ба (ba)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pä⁵⁵/

Middle Chinese: pae

Rime
Character	吧
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	幫 (1)
Final (韻)	麻 (98)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	II
Fanqie	伯加切
Baxter	pae
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/pˠa/
Pan Wuyun	/pᵚa/
Shao Rongfen	/pa/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/paɨ/
Li Rong	/pa/
Wang Li	/pa/
Bernard Karlgren	/pa/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	bā
Expected Cantonese Reflex	baa¹

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*praː/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	吧
Reading #	1/2
No.	102
Phonetic component	巴
Rime group	魚
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	巴
Old Chinese	/*praː/

Definitions

吧

Only used in 吧呀.

Pronunciation 2

Mandarin
(Pinyin): pā (pa¹)

(Zhuyin): ㄆㄚ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: pā
  - Zhuyin: ㄆㄚ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: pa
  - Wade–Giles: pʻa¹
  - Yale: pā
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: pa
  - Palladius: па (pa)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰä⁵⁵/

Middle Chinese: phae

Rime
Character	吧
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	滂 (2)
Final (韻)	麻 (98)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	II
Fanqie	普巴切
Baxter	phae
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/pʰˠa/
Pan Wuyun	/pʰᵚa/
Shao Rongfen	/pʰa/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/pʰaɨ/
Li Rong	/pʰa/
Wang Li	/pʰa/
Bernard Karlgren	/pʰa/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	pā
Expected Cantonese Reflex	paa¹

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*pʰraː/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	吧
Reading #	2/2
No.	113
Phonetic component	巴
Rime group	魚
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	葩
Old Chinese	/*pʰraː/

Definitions

吧

Only used in 吧呀.

Japanese

Kanji

吧

(Hyōgai kanji)

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Readings

Go-on: は (ha)
Kan-on: は (ha)

Korean

Hanja

吧 (eum 파 (pa))

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Vietnamese

Han character

吧: Hán Việt readings: ba
吧: Nôm readings: ba, bơ, và, vài

Conjunction

吧 • (và)

Nôm form of và (“and, with, as well as”).