Writing Balance Rule: The top component must be balanced neatly over the bottom element, ensuring the central vertical axis of the character remains straight and does not lean.
1. Meaning
to run quickly, rush, or hurry
to flee in panicto elopeto strive toward a goal
VerbNeutral#movement#speed#actions
Sample Usage
大家都在为生活奔波。
Dàjiā dōu zài wèi shēnghuó bēnbō.
Everyone is rushing about for a living.
他急急忙忙地奔向火车站。
Tā jíjímángmáng de bēn xiàng huǒchēzhàn.
He hurried quickly toward the railway station.
2. Sound
/[pən⁵⁵]/Tone: 55
奔
bēnben1
|
++
¯(55)
=bēn
Initial Consonant
b
Type: Unaspirated Bilabial
Sounds like: b sound as in bed
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: No burst of air. A tissue in front of lips should stay still.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Both lips closed tightly together to build air pressure, then released smoothly without a puff of breath.
Final Rhyme
en
Vowel Group: -e vowel group
Sounds like: en rhymes with the word hen
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'uhn'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T1 (55)
5 → 5 (55)
1st Tone (High-Flat)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is a high level pitch, similar to the flat, sustained tone of voice when uttering an expression of surprise like 'Aha!' or singing a high note.
👂
Listening trap: Confusing the unrounded neutral vowel final '-en' with rounded '-eng' (-eng has a nasal velar stop at the back of the throat, whereas '-en' ends cleanly with an alveolar nasal 'n').
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Tone 1 is a high, steady flat line. Imagine holding your hand flat at eye level and speaking in a steady, high-pitched monotone, like a continuous musical note.
3. Writing
Topology: Top-bottom · Strokes: 8 strokes
Writing Balance Rule: The top component must be balanced neatly over the bottom element, ensuring the central vertical axis of the character remains straight and does not lean.
4. Components
Radical大 · Big Radical (big, person with arms spread)
Semantic Clue (形旁):大 (indicates a person running or moving forward)
The character features a top structure representing thick grass or bushes (艹 variant) and a bottom structure showing a person ('大') running across the ground ('止' or foot elements), portraying a person rushing through terrain.
艹 grass or terrain
大 big person
𠕁 feet stepping forward
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
2· Phonetic Root: 奔 (bēn)
5. History
Liushu category: Compound ideogram (会意)
Origin: In oracle bone inscriptions, 奔 was depicted as a person running forward with large strides, showing rapid motion and foot action.
Semantic Evolution: Originally meant to run fast or flee. Over time, it extended to mean rushing about busy with life's affairs, running toward goals, or eloping.
In ancient texts, '奔' frequently described soldiers charging into battle or people fleeing from natural disasters.
6. Sinosphere
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: ホン / Kun: はし.る
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story
A big person ('大') is running so fast through the grass that they create a high breeze ('bēn') as they rush toward the finish line.
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
贲
bēnbright, ornamentedReplaces the lower foot parts with shell/money components or alternate forms while keeping a similar sound.
濹
mòblackShares structural similarities but uses water or other radicals.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
苯(běn)
苯 has the grass radical (艹) on top and '本' on the bottom, meaning benzene in chemistry, whereas 奔 is about running.
笨(bèn)
笨 has the bamboo radical (⺮) on top and '本' on the bottom, meaning foolish or clumsy.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
他为了赶上末班车，一路向地铁站[___]去。
Clue: bēn
Common Learner Pitfall
Mistaking '奔' (bēn) for '笨' (bèn) due to similar visual weights and structures involving the bottom parts.
Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see the character 奔, what does it mean and how is it pronounced with tone?
Production: How do you write the character for 'to rush/run quickly' (bēn)?
Real-World Video Context
Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.
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奔bēnto rush, to run quickly, to hurry
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