八月
八eight月month=August
八
八 (bā) Chinese Character: eight
Two strokes open away from each other.
Practice 八 in the interactive lessonChinese character story: The Number Eight
八 (bā) means “eight.” The two strokes spread apart like doors opening wide. Use 八个人 for “eight people” and 八月 for “August.”
🧩 Word buildingSee what every part contributes
Chinese words often combine short meaning clues. Fixed expressions are clearly marked so you do not translate them too literally.
八个人
八eight个general measure word人people=eight people
Chinese character origin and etymology
八 (bā) means “eight.” The two strokes spread apart like doors opening wide. Use 八个人 for “eight people” and 八月 for “August.”
In modern simplified Chinese, 八 is written with 2 strokes. This lesson separates documented shape history from the memory story so learners do not mistake a mnemonic for a historical claim. 八 works as one complete form rather than a puzzle made from smaller modern components. Learning its overall silhouette is useful because the same shape may later appear inside more complex characters.
Chinese character stroke order and structure
八 is written with 2 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.
- 八 — eight — a basic form used as one complete character
Common usage and sentence patterns
The examples below show 八 in complete beginner-friendly sentences. Read each sentence aloud, notice where the character appears, and then replace one noun or number to create a new sentence of your own.
今天有八个人。
There are eight people today.
学校八点开门。
The school opens at eight o’clock.
八月我们去北京。
We are going to Beijing in August.
Learning tips for 八
Learn the reading as one unit: bā, with the first tone: high and level. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “eight,” and write the 2 strokes from memory.
Because 八 is a basic form, focus on its proportions and stroke direction. Compare it with 七 (qī, seven); 九 (jiǔ, nine). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.
Quick review checklist
- Can you recognize 八 without pinyin?
- Can you say bā with the correct tone and explain “eight”?
- Can you write all 2 strokes in order?
- Can you use 八 in one short sentence?
Related characters
Learn 八 in a themed collection
Compare this character with related beginner words. A themed path helps you notice useful pairs, word-building patterns, and everyday contexts.
Continue learning Chinese characters
Use the Chinese radicals and components guide to understand reusable parts, the stroke order guide to improve handwriting, and the HSK 1 character overview to choose your next beginner lesson.
Sources and editorial note
HanziStory separates documented character history from modern memory stories. Historical-form images are shown only when a matching source file is available; missing stages are skipped rather than invented. Stroke practice uses HanziWriter data.
Last updated: August 12, 2026. Read our sources, editorial method, and correction policy.