罢了

罷了

bàle

particle HSK 6 #1,893

Meanings

1 that's all; nothing more; merely
2 just; only

Characters

to stop; to cease; to finish

That's all it is — used to downplay something.

Examples

我只是开个玩笑罢了。

Wǒ zhǐshì kāi gè wánxiào bà le.

I was just joking, that's all.

这不过是小事罢了。

Zhè búguò shì xiǎo shì bà le.

This is nothing more than a small matter.

他不过是个普通人罢了。

Tā búguò shì gè pǔtōng rén bà le.

He's just an ordinary person, that's all.

说说罢了，别当真。

Shuō shuō bà le, bié dàngzhēn.

I was just saying it, don't take it seriously.

Tips

usage

罢了 is placed at the end of a sentence to downplay or minimize something. Common patterns: 不过...罢了 (merely...), 只是...罢了 (just...). It's more literary than 而已 (éryǐ), which has the same function.

Stroke Order

罢 bà

了 le