巴掌 bāzhang palm of the hand
palm of the hand; measure word: slap
How to remember 巴掌: 巴 wait for + 掌 in charge = palm of the hand.
Characters
How it is used
- The palm/flat of the hand; also a measure for a slap - 他打了对方一巴掌 (tā dǎ le duìfāng yì bāzhang) he gave the other person a slap.
- Everyday, colloquial. Used for slapping (打巴掌) and for size comparison (巴掌大的地方, a tiny place).
- Contrast 手掌 (shǒuzhǎng), the neutral anatomical 'palm'; 巴掌 is casual and tied to the act of slapping. Toneless zhang.
Example sentences
- 我想过扇你一巴掌。 Wǒ xiǎng guò shàn nǐ yībāzhǎng.I wanted to smack you.