把
bǎThe disposal construction — taking hold of a definite object and doing something deliberate and consequential to it. One of the most distinctively Chinese grammatical structures, with no clean equivalent in European languages.
字源
zìyuán
Etymology — The Grasping Hand
字源洞见 zìyuán dòngjiàn · Etymological Insight
把 bǎ is composed of 手 shǒu (hand, as the left radical 扌) + 巴 bā (a phonetic element depicting a tail or a creature that clings). The core physical meaning is to grip, to clasp with the hand. A 把 is the handle of a tool, a hilt, or the part you grasp. This physical reality of grasping directly motivates the grammatical construction: the 把 construction is, at its heart, about taking hold of something and doing something definitive to it.
The grammatical use developed from the physical: "I take hold of this thing and do X to it" gradually became a construction that foregrounds the object and encodes the idea that the action will affect, change, or dispose of that object in a deliberate, concrete way. In classical Chinese, 把 retained this hands-on quality — 把酒问青天 (holding a wine cup, asking the blue sky) from Su Shi's famous lyric captures 把 in its original physical sense while serving a grammatical role.
Chinese linguists call it the 处置式 chǔzhì shì — the "disposal construction." The word 处置 means to handle, to deal with, to dispose of. The object is not merely mentioned — it is taken into hand and dealt with.
句型
jùxíng
Core Pattern — Subject Grips Object, Does X
把字句 bǎzì jù · The 把 Construction Pattern
Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + Resultative/Complement
我 + 把 + 书 + 看 + 完了。Wǒ bǎ shū kàn wán le. — I finished reading the book.
她 + 把 + 门 + 关 + 上了。Tā bǎ mén guān shàng le. — She closed the door. (shut it into the closed position)
他 + 把 + 椅子 + 搬 + 进来了。Tā bǎ yǐzi bān jìnlái le. — He moved the chair inside.
Three requirements for 把:
1. The object must be definite — 把那本书 (that book), not 把书 alone unless it's contextually known.
2. The verb phrase must have a result, direction, or complement — the bare verb cannot stand alone after 把.
3. The subject must be the agent who deliberately acts on the object — no stative verbs, no perception verbs.
我 + 把 + 书 + 看 + 完了。Wǒ bǎ shū kàn wán le. — I finished reading the book.
她 + 把 + 门 + 关 + 上了。Tā bǎ mén guān shàng le. — She closed the door. (shut it into the closed position)
他 + 把 + 椅子 + 搬 + 进来了。Tā bǎ yǐzi bān jìnlái le. — He moved the chair inside.
Three requirements for 把:
1. The object must be definite — 把那本书 (that book), not 把书 alone unless it's contextually known.
2. The verb phrase must have a result, direction, or complement — the bare verb cannot stand alone after 把.
3. The subject must be the agent who deliberately acts on the object — no stative verbs, no perception verbs.
学者洞见 xuézhě dòngjiàn · Why the Verb Cannot Stand Alone
The most important constraint on the 把 construction is that the verb phrase must include a resultative element. A bare verb is ungrammatical: *把书看 is wrong. The sentence must answer the question: what happened to the book as a result? Options include:
Resultative complement: 看完 (finish reading), 看懂 (read and understand), 看破 (see through)
Directional complement: 拿出来 (take out), 放下 (put down), 搬进去 (move inside)
Aspect marker: 写了 (wrote it), 吃掉 (ate it up), 喝光 (drank it all up)
Degree/result phrase: 打得很厉害 (hit hard), 整理得很整齐 (arranged neatly)
This requirement reflects the core meaning: if you take something in hand and act on it, that action must conclude with a result. The 把 construction is inherently telic — it implies a completed, consequential outcome.
处置结果
chǔzhì jiéguǒ
Disposal Results — Core Examples
把作业做完
bǎ zuòyè zuò wán
to finish the homework (do it through to completion)
做 zuò (to do) + 完 wán (to finish; to exhaust; resultative complement). The 完 is the result — the homework has been completely done. Without 完, the sentence would be ungrammatical: *把作业做. 完 is one of the most common resultative complements in the 把 construction.
你必须把作业做完才能玩。
Nǐ bìxū bǎ zuòyè zuò wán cái néng wán.
You must finish your homework before you can play.
我把报告写完了。
Wǒ bǎ bàogào xiě wán le.
I finished writing the report.
把这瓶水喝完。
Bǎ zhè píng shuǐ hē wán.
Drink this bottle of water completely. (finish it)
把书放好
bǎ shū fàng hǎo
to put the book away properly
放 fàng (to place; to put) + 好 hǎo (well; properly; in the right state). The 好 signals the object reaches a satisfactory, correct, or complete state. 放好 is not just "put down" — it's "place in a way that is done properly." 好 as a resultative complement implies care, correctness, and readiness.
请把书放好。
Qǐng bǎ shū fàng hǎo.
Please put the book away properly.
把行李整理好再出发。
Bǎ xínglǐ zhěnglǐ hǎo zài chūfā.
Arrange the luggage properly before setting off.
他把计划准备好了。
Tā bǎ jìhuà zhǔnbèi hǎo le.
He has the plan ready. (prepared it properly)
把门关上
bǎ mén guān shàng
to close the door (shut it into the closed position)
关 guān (to close) + 上 shàng (up; into a closed/attached state). Here 上 is a resultative complement indicating that the door has been moved into the closed, shut position. 上 in this sense implies closure, attachment, or sealing — 关上 means "closed all the way." Contrast: 关了门 (closed the door — completed action) vs. 把门关上 (closed the door — and it is now shut).
请把门关上。
Qǐng bǎ mén guān shàng.
Please close the door.
别忘了把灯关上。
Bié wàng le bǎ dēng guān shàng.
Don't forget to turn off the lights.
把窗户打开
bǎ chuānghu dǎ kāi
to open the window (strike it into an open state)
打 dǎ (to hit; to strike — used as a general action verb with many objects) + 开 kāi (open; apart; into an open state). The combination 打开 means "open" — the object is moved into an open or separated state. 开 as a resultative complement implies separation, opening, or dispersal.
天气太热，把窗户打开吧。
Tiānqì tài rè, bǎ chuānghu dǎ kāi ba.
It's too hot — open the window.
把礼物打开看看。
Bǎ lǐwù dǎ kāi kàn kan.
Open the gift and have a look.
他把信封拆开了。
Tā bǎ xìnfēng chāi kāi le.
He opened the envelope. (tore it open)
趋向补语
qūxiàng bǔyǔ
把 with Directional Complements
把椅子搬进来
bǎ yǐzi bān jìnlái
bring the chair inside (move it in-coming direction)
搬 bān (to move heavy things; to transport) + 进来 jìnlái (in-coming; into this space). The directional complement 进来 specifies both the direction (in) and the orientation toward the speaker (来). The 把 construction signals the chair is a definite, specific object being moved as a deliberate act.
帮我把椅子搬进来。
Bāng wǒ bǎ yǐzi bān jìnlái.
Help me bring the chair inside.
把那些箱子搬出去。
Bǎ nàxiē xiāngzi bān chūqù.
Move those boxes out. (away from speaker)
把包放下
bǎ bāo fàng xià
put the bag down
放 fàng (to place; put) + 下 xià (down; into a lower position). A simple directional 把 sentence — the object (bag) is moved to a lower location. 下 here signals downward movement or lowering into position. The 把 foregrounds the deliberate, targeted nature of the placing.
先把包放下，休息一会儿。
Xiān bǎ bāo fàng xià, xiūxi yīhuìr.
Put the bag down first and rest a while.
请把手机放下，专心上课。
Qǐng bǎ shǒujī fàng xià, zhuānxīn shàng kè.
Please put your phone down and pay attention in class.
把书拿出来
bǎ shū ná chūlái
take the book out (bring it out into the open)
拿 ná (to take; to hold in the hand) + 出来 chūlái (out-coming; out toward the speaker). The book is extracted from some container or location and brought into the present space. 出来 implies emergence from a hidden or enclosed place toward an open, accessible position.
把书从包里拿出来。
Bǎ shū cóng bāo li ná chūlái.
Take the book out of the bag.
你能把那个问题的答案找出来吗？
Nǐ néng bǎ nàge wèntí de dá'àn zhǎo chūlái ma?
Can you find the answer to that problem?
把手机从口袋里掏出来。
Bǎ shǒujī cóng kǒudài lǐ tāo chūlái.
Fish your phone out of your pocket.
常见错误
chángjiàn cuòwù
Common 把 Errors — When It Cannot Be Used
*把书看
*bǎ shū kàn
WRONG — verb must have a resultative element
The most fundamental 把 error: using a bare verb with no resultative or directional complement. The construction requires that the action have a clear outcome. The sentence is ungrammatical because it doesn't tell us what happened to the book as a result.
错误：*我把书看。
Cuòwù: *Wǒ bǎ shū kàn.
WRONG: *I read the book. (no result)
正确：我把书看完了。/ 我把书看了一遍。
Zhèngquè: Wǒ bǎ shū kàn wán le. / Wǒ bǎ shū kàn le yī biàn.
CORRECT: I finished reading the book. / I read the book once through.
*把他喜欢
*bǎ tā xǐhuān
WRONG — stative/emotional verbs cannot take 把
Stative verbs (是, 有, 像), mental-state verbs (喜欢, 爱, 恨, 讨厌, 知道, 认识, 觉得), and perception verbs (看见, 听见, 闻到) cannot be used in the 把 construction. The 把 construction requires an agent who deliberately acts on a concrete object with a physical or tangible result. Emotions, states, and perceptions do not dispose of objects.
错误：*我把他喜欢。/ *我把他认识。
Cuòwù: *Wǒ bǎ tā xǐhuān. / *Wǒ bǎ tā rènshi.
WRONG: *I like him. / *I know him. (states, not disposal)
正确：我喜欢他。/ 我认识他。
Zhèngquè: Wǒ xǐhuān tā. / Wǒ rènshi tā.
CORRECT: I like him. / I know him. (plain SVO)
*把一本书看完
*bǎ yī běn shū kàn wán
WRONG (usually) — object must be definite
The object of 把 must be definite — a specific, known thing. An indefinite object (a book you haven't mentioned before, an unspecified amount) generally cannot be used. The construction implies you are taking hold of a particular thing and doing something to it. Use demonstratives (这, 那, 这些), possessives (我的, 他的), or contextually established nouns.
错误（通常）：*我把一本书看完了。
Cuòwù (tōngcháng): *Wǒ bǎ yī běn shū kàn wán le.
WRONG (usually): I finished reading a book. (indefinite)
正确：我把那本书看完了。/ 我把这本书看完了。
Zhèngquè: Wǒ bǎ nà běn shū kàn wán le. / Wǒ bǎ zhè běn shū kàn wán le.
CORRECT: I finished reading that book. / I finished reading this book.
注意 zhùyì · Note
In practice, if a noun is contextually established and understood to be definite, the demonstrative can be omitted: 你把书放好了吗？"Did you put the book away?" works when "the book" is contextually known. But in isolation, a bare indefinite object sounds unnatural.
*我把他看见了
*wǒ bǎ tā kànjian le
WRONG — unaffected objects cannot take 把
The object of the 把 construction must be affected by the action — it must undergo a change, be moved, be consumed, be transformed, or be disposed of. Perception and cognition verbs (看见 see, 听见 hear, 闻到 smell) involve objects that are registered but not physically affected. The world contains him; seeing him doesn't change him.
错误：*我把他看见了。
Cuòwù: *Wǒ bǎ tā kànjian le.
WRONG: I saw him. (he's not affected by being seen)
正确：我看见他了。
Zhèngquè: Wǒ kànjian tā le.
CORRECT: I saw him. (plain SVO)
一把椅子
yī bǎ yǐzi
a chair (one handle-shaped piece of furniture)
把 as a measure word applies to objects that have a handle or can be grasped, or that you can take in hand — chairs (by the back), tools, weapons, fans, keys, locks, umbrellas, guitars. The connection to the core meaning of 把 (to grip) is transparent.
请给我拿一把椅子。
Qǐng gěi wǒ ná yī bǎ yǐzi.
Please bring me a chair.
他有一把好刀。
Tā yǒu yī bǎ hǎo dāo.
He has a good knife.
量词列表 liàngcí lièbiǎo · Objects Counted with 把
刀 knife · 剑 sword · 椅子 chair · 扇子 fan · 锁 lock · 钥匙 key · 雨伞 umbrella · 吉他 guitar · 剪刀 scissors · 锄头 hoe
一把汗
yī bǎ hàn
a palm's worth of sweat — anxious, breaking out in a sweat
把 can measure abstract quantities that could theoretically fill a cupped hand — a handful of something. 一把汗 (a palm of sweat) is an idiom for being anxious or nervous to the point of sweating. 一把泪 (a handful of tears) appears in literary contexts for weeping. These extend the concrete grasping image into emotional territory.
看他们比赛，我都捏了一把汗。
Kàn tāmen bǐsài, wǒ dōu niē le yī bǎ hàn.
Watching them compete had me sweating with anxiety. (lit. I clenched a palm of sweat)
她读完那封信，流了一把眼泪。
Tā dú wán nà fēng xìn, liú le yī bǎ yǎnlèi.
After reading the letter, she shed a flood of tears.
一把年纪
yī bǎ niánjì
getting on in age; a certain age (often with mild reproach)
一把年纪 literally "a handful of years" — used to describe someone who is getting on in age. Often carries a mildly reproachful or surprised tone: someone that age should know better, or it's surprising they're doing something. Common in colloquial speech and semi-formal contexts.
都一把年纪了，还这么不懂事。
Dōu yī bǎ niánjì le, hái zhème bù dǒngshì.
At that age, and still this immature.
一把年纪了，要注意身体。
Yī bǎ niánjì le, yào zhùyì shēntǐ.
At your age, you need to take care of your health.
对照表
duìzhào biǎo
Verb + Resultative Complement Pairs with 把
| 动词 Verb | 补语 Complement | 组合 Combined | 例句 Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 看 kàn | 完 wán | 看完 | 把书看完 — finish reading the book |
| 写 xiě | 好 hǎo | 写好 | 把报告写好 — write the report well / finish it properly |
| 关 guān | 上 shàng | 关上 | 把门关上 — close the door shut |
| 打 dǎ | 开 kāi | 打开 | 把窗户打开 — open the window |
| 放 fàng | 下 xià | 放下 | 把包放下 — put the bag down |
| 搬 bān | 进来 jìnlái | 搬进来 | 把椅子搬进来 — move the chair inside |
| 拿 ná | 出来 chūlái | 拿出来 | 把书拿出来 — take the book out |
| 吃 chī | 掉 diào | 吃掉 | 把蛋糕吃掉 — eat up the cake (completely / get rid of it) |
| 弄 nòng | 坏 huài | 弄坏 | 把手机弄坏了 — broke the phone |
| 整理 zhěnglǐ | 好 hǎo | 整理好 | 把房间整理好 — tidy up the room properly |
成语
chéngyǔ
Idioms — Grasping, Control, Timing
把握时机
bǎwò shíjī
to seize the moment; to grasp the opportunity at the right time
把握 bǎwò (grip; certainty; grasp) + 时机 shíjī (the right moment). A common exhortation in business, speech, and motivational contexts. Also used as a noun: 有把握 yǒu bǎwò = "to be confident, certain" (lit. to have a grip on it). 没有把握 = "not sure, not confident."
无从把握
wú cóng bǎwò
impossible to grasp; no way to get a handle on it
Lit: no-way-from-grasp. Used when a situation is too fluid, complex, or uncertain to control or predict. The physical image of reaching for something and finding no surface to grip carries directly into this idiom.
手到擒来
shǒu dào qín lái
as easy as reaching out and grabbing it; a sure thing
Lit: hand-arrives-capture-comes. The hand extends (手到) and the prey comes into the grasp (擒来). Used for tasks that are effortlessly accomplished — the antithesis of struggle. Thematically linked to 把: the hand that reaches out and takes hold.
当机立断
dāng jī lì duàn
to decide decisively at the right moment; not to hesitate when the time comes
Lit: facing-the-opportunity-immediately-decide. The complement of 把握时机 — not just grasping the moment but acting on it decisively. 断 here means to cut through, to decide without wavering. The virtuous counterpart to 犹豫不决 (hesitating and unable to decide).
相邻词汇
xiānglín cíhuì
Adjacent Vocabulary
被bèipassive marker (counterpart)
让ràngto let; causative / colloquial passive
叫jiàocolloquial passive marker
把握bǎwògrip; certainty; to be confident
完wánto finish (resultative complement)
好hǎoproperly done (resultative)
掉diàoaway; off; done with (resultative)
开kāiopen; apart (directional/resultative)
上shàngonto; closed; into position
进来jìnláiin (toward speaker)
出去chūqùout (away from speaker)
处置chǔzhìto handle; to dispose of; the construction name