办 (bàn) is a Chinese character meaning “to handle”. It is written from 丶 (dot stroke) and 力 (strength; power) and 丶 (dot stroke), and takes 4 strokes.
Build the character for “to handle”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
丶 + 力 + 丶
Left–middle–right structure
Structure from: hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 modern glyph stroke inspection
Memory aid
力 (strength) in the middle, with a 丶 dot propped on each side like two helping hands. Strength plus a hand on either side is how things actually get handled.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
4 strokes
In real words
- 办法bàn fǎway; method; means of doing something办 = bànHSK 3
- 办公室bàn gōng shìoffice办 = bànHSK 3
- 咋办zǎ bànwhat should we do办 = bàn
Go deeper
All readings
to handle
to handle; to take care of; to manage; to set up or run (an office, a school, an event)
处理、经营事务；也指创立或举行。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 办法bàn fǎway; method; means of doing something办 = bànHSK 3
- 办公室bàn gōng shìoffice办 = bànHSK 3
- 咋办zǎ bànwhat should we do办 = bàn
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 办 mean?
办 (bàn) means to handle; to take care of; to manage; to set up or run (an office, a school, an event).
How do you pronounce 办?
It is pronounced bàn.
What parts is 办 made of?
丶 (dot stroke) and 力 (strength; power) and 丶 (dot stroke). The recorded source is: hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 modern glyph stroke inspection. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 办 have?
4. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 办?
力. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 办?
Common ones are 办法 and 办公室. The reading of 办 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.