Chinese–EnglishWith examples

掰

bāi · bai

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 7–9Old HSK 6

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to break off or break open sth with one's hands
  2. (fig.) to break off (a relationship)
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In a conversation

0:23 cartoon

Breaking the chocolate

  1. Liangliang

    巧克力(qiǎokèlì)太(tài)大(dà)了(le)，我(wǒ)掰(bāi)一半(yībàn)给(gěi)你(nǐ)。

    The chocolate bar is too big. I'll break off half for you.

  2. Dengdeng

    你(nǐ)别(bié)用(yòng)刀(dāo)，直接(zhíjiē)用(yòng)手(shǒu)掰(bāi)。

    Don't use a knife. Just break it with your hands.

  3. Liangliang

    太(tài)硬(yìng)了(le)，我(wǒ)掰(bāi)不动(bùdòng)。

    It is too hard. I can't break it.

  4. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)来(lái)掰(bāi)。你(nǐ)看(kàn)，掰(bāi)成(chéng)两半(liǎngbàn)了(le)！

    I'll do it. Look, I broke it in two!

  5. Liangliang

    一块(yīkuài)大(dà)，一块(yīkuài)这么(zhème)小(xiǎo)。

    One is big and one is tiny.

  6. Dengdeng

    对不起(duìbuqǐ)，我(wǒ)掰(bāi)不好(bùhǎo)，大(dà)的(de)给(gěi)你(nǐ)。

    Sorry, I'm bad at breaking it evenly. You take the big one.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

面(miàn)条(tiáo)下(xià)锅(guō)前(qián)要(yào)先(xiān)掰(bāi)成(chéng)小(xiǎo)块(kuài)。

Before you put the noodles in the pot, you have to break them up into small pieces.

Tatoeba: Chinese by cienias · English by sharris123 · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

02

他(tā)把(bǎ)面(miàn)包(bāo)掰(bāi)成(chéng)两(liǎng)半(bàn)，分(fēn)给(gěi)妹(mèi)妹(mei)。

He broke the bread into two halves and shared them with his younger sister.

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Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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