罢 (bà) - to stop & to cease

罢Tone 4

bà ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

傲不

罢 · bà

to stop;

to cease;

to dismiss;

to finish;

used to indicate completion or termination of an action.

to stopto ceaseto dismiss

Usage highlights

strikedismiss from officecease fightingstop talkinggive upabolish

Synonyms

  • 停— to stop, to halt
  • 止— to cease, to end
  • 休— to rest, to cease

Antonyms

  • 始— to begin, to start
  • 开— to open, to start
  • 续— to continue, to extend

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The workers went on strike (罢工).
  • The meeting has concluded (会议已罢).
  • He was dismissed from his post (他被罢免).
  • Let's stop arguing (我们罢休吧).

Collocations

  • strike(罢工)
  • dismiss from office(罢免)
  • cease fighting(罢战)
  • stop talking(罢讲)
  • give up(罢休)
  • abolish(罢黜)

Idioms

  • To fight a hundred battles without fatigue(百战不罢)
  • To stop when enough is enough(善罢甘休)
  • To dismiss from office and never employ again(罢黜百家)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted a net being handled, evolving to mean 'to put aside, to stop'.
  • In modern contexts, strongly associated with labor strikes and political dismissals.
  • Used in classical texts to indicate the conclusion of actions or removal from position.

FAQ