班 (bān) means "class" with HSK 1 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: class
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
班 does not appear in oracle-bone script. In bronze and seal forms it shows two 玉 (jade) pieces flanking a 刀 (knife) in the middle, depicting the act of using a blade to divide a jade disc into two pieces to be given to each party in an agreement.
Form evolution
The seal-script form keeps the two jade components and the central knife clearly separate. In clerical script the knife was regularised into the modern central shape that looks like 刂 compressed, and the two jade radicals were written as 王 on either side, giving the balanced modern form.
How the meaning evolved
The original sense was to divide or distribute, from the practice of splitting jade tokens. This extended to ranking or grading (since dividing implies ordering), then to a group of people assigned together, giving modern meanings like class (in school), shift (at work), and scheduled flight or train.
Cultural note
The splitting-jade origin is preserved in the classical expression 班师 (to withdraw troops, originally to distribute rewards before returning). In modern use 班 is the standard measure word for scheduled transport, as in 下一班飞机 (the next flight).
Basic info
| Pinyin | bān |
| Meanings | class |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 1 |
| Frequency | #472 most common |
Example sentences
Words containing 班
On the new HSK 1 exam
Studying for HSK 1? Keep 班 with the rest of your level.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.