ㄅ = b

ㄅ is an initial: the consonant at the start of a syllable. In pinyin it is written b.

Pinyin bIPA /p/Initial · Lips1 strokeName ㄅㄛFrom 勹

How to say it

Lips together, then release softly. No puff of air, like the p in “spin”.

Do not mix up

ㄅ has no puff of air; ㄆ releases a strong puff. Hold a hand in front of your mouth to feel it. See ㄆ (p) →

Where it comes from

ㄅ comes from the character 勹. Zhuyin symbols were made from parts of old characters in the 1910s.

Stroke order, step by step

Stroke order from Taiwan’s Ministry of Education. The dot shows where the new stroke starts.

Stroke 1

爸

ㄅㄚˋ

bà · dad

拔

ㄅㄚˊ

bá · To pull out; to extract

台北

ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ

tái běi · Taipei

日本

ㄖˋ ㄅㄣˇ

rì běn · Japan · TOCFL Novice 1

八

ㄅㄚ

bā · eight; all sides · TOCFL Novice 1

百

ㄅㄞˇ

bǎi · hundred; many · TOCFL Novice 1

Zhuyin Pro teaches ㄅ with sound, mouth diagrams, tracing and real words. Then it reminds you before you forget.