This is the 8432nd most frequent Chinese word.
pat
The Chinese word "pat" (拍, pāi) means "to slap gently," "to clap," or "to tap."
The word '拍' is used here to mean 'pat,' representing a gentle, comforting action on someone's shoulder.
他轻轻地拍过肩膀安慰了她。
He gently patted her shoulder to comfort her.
Here, '拍' indicates the action of patting or hitting lightly, expressing an interaction with the sand.
孩子们在海滩上拍着沙子玩。
The children are patting the sand while playing on the beach.
In this context, '拍' refers to taking photos, transitioning the meaning to an act of capturing images.