捭 (bǎi): to spread out; to open up

Meanings

1 to spread out; to open up
2 to strike outward with both hands

Characters

捭

bǎi

to spread out; open up

Examples

高明的外交家纵横捭阖，周旋于列强之间。

Gāomíng de wàijiāojiā zòng héng bǎi hé, zhōuxuán yú lièqiáng zhījiān.

A skilled diplomat opens and closes, maneuvering among the powers.

说客之术，在于捭开对方的真情。

Shuìkè zhī shù, zàiyú bǎi kāi duìfāng de zhēnqíng.

The persuader's art lies in opening up the other party's true feelings.

Tips

culture

Best known in 捭阖 ('to open and close'), the core technique of the ancient persuasion manual 《鬼谷子》. 纵横捭阖 now describes deft political maneuvering. A separate reading 捭 means 'to split apart'.

Components

radical

扌 shǒu

hand

Left side 扌 is the hand radical 手 in side form — the original sense is a two-handed outward strike or pushing things apart.

phonetic

卑 bēi

low; sound element

Right side 卑 is the sound element; the reading bǎi has drifted from it, as in related 稗.

Stroke Order

捭 bǎi

Related Words

纵横捭阖 zònghéng-bǎihé

political maneuvering and alliance-building / to operate skillfully in politics or diplomacy / to deploy shifting strategies

拔 bá HSK 5 #2,896

to pull up; to pull out; to uproot / to select; to promote; to stand out

罢工 bàgōng HSK 6 #6,814

to go on strike / strike (labor action)

布 bù HSK 3 #1,729

cloth; fabric / to spread; to lay out / to announce; to declare

敞开 chǎngkāi HSK 7-9 #4,618

to open wide / to throw open

拆 chāi HSK 5 #2,992

to tear open; to open (a package/letter) / to tear down; to demolish / to dismantle; to take apart

出局 chūjú HSK 7-9 #2,394

to be eliminated; to be out / to be knocked out (of a competition)

抽 chōu HSK 4 #1,379

to draw out / to pull out / to smoke (cigarettes) / to extract

出 chū HSK 1 #105

to go out / to come out / to produce / to appear

摆平 bǎipíng HSK 7-9 #5,560

to settle (a matter) / to sort out / to handle