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堡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
堡bǎoan earthworkng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡bǎocastleng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡bǎoposition of defenseng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡bǎostrongholdng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡bǎofort, fortress; town, villageng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡bǎoused in place namesng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡bǎoused in place names, often as phonetic bao for "burg" or "bad"ng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡pùan earthworkng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡pùcastleng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡pùposition of defenseng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡pùstrongholdng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡pùfort, fortress; town, villageng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡pùused in place namesng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
堡pùused in place names, often as phonetic bao for "burg" or "bad"ng, 12 strokes, radical 土, rank #5519, Hard
bǎo(bao3)
primary
 T3
  1. 1an earthwork
  2. 2castle
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

堡bǎo(bao3)

The character 堡 (bǎo) refers to a fort or fortress, often associated with defensive structures. It can also signify a stronghold or a place of protection, commonly found in place names throughout China. This character conveys a sense of security and military fortification.

Strokes12Radical土Frequency#5519DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese history, many ancient cities had fortifications, and 堡 is often used in the names of these historical sites, reflecting the significance of defense in Chinese culture. For example, famous castles or fortresses in regions like Xinjiang often incorporate this character.

Memory Tip

Imagine a castle (堡) standing tall on a hill, surrounded by a protective wall (土) made of earth. The 'b' sound in '堡' can remind you of 'burg,' as in a fortified town, and the 'ǎo' sounds like 'owl,' which watches over the fortress at night.

Meanings of 堡

bǎo(bao3)
primary
1an earthwork
2castle
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 堡

堡Simplified
12Strokes
土Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#5519Frequency Rank

Podcast: 堡

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Podcast: 堡

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AI Study Notes for 堡

Quick Contrast

碉 (diāo) — use 堡 for larger, fortified structures, while 碉 refers specifically to smaller, often tower-like defensive constructions.

Usage Notes

When using 堡, be mindful of its context as a place name or in military terminology. Common collocations include '城堡' (castle) and '防御堡垒' (defensive fortress). Avoid confusing it with similar sounding characters like 褒 (bāo), which means to praise.

HSK Study Tips

Although 堡 is not an HSK word, it connects with other terms related to buildings and structures, which are common in HSK vocabulary. Focus on understanding its use in geographical names and military contexts to enhance your comprehension of related vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 堡 with other similar-sounding characters like 褒 (to praise) or 堡's variant, 鋪 (pù), which means to pave or lay out. For example, saying '我住在一个褒' instead of '我住在一个堡' can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 堡

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Etymology of 堡

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 保 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

Earthen 土 walls built for defense 保; 保 also provides the meaning

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 堡

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 保 represents the sound.

  1. 1The giveawayEarthen 土 walls built for defense 保; 保 also provides the meaning
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 堡? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 堡?

Decomposition of 堡

IDS Structure⿱保土
堡Full Character
=
保Bao3
top
土Tu3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 堡?

How to say an earthwork in Chinese

“an earthwork” in Chinese is堡bǎo

The character 堡 (bǎo) refers to a fort or fortress, often associated with defensive structures. It can also signify a stronghold or a place of protection, commonly found in place names throughout China. This character conveys a sense of security and military fortification.

When to use 堡

When using 堡, be mindful of its context as a place name or in military terminology. Common collocations include '城堡' (castle) and '防御堡垒' (defensive fortress). Avoid confusing it with similar sounding characters like 褒 (bāo), which means to praise.

堡 or something close to it

碉 (diāo) — use 堡 for larger, fortified structures, while 碉 refers specifically to smaller, often tower-like defensive constructions.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 堡 with other similar-sounding characters like 褒 (to praise) or 堡's variant, 鋪 (pù), which means to pave or lay out. For example, saying '我住在一个褒' instead of '我住在一个堡' can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 堡

堡

Practice writing 堡 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 堡

堡 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 7 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

军队仍然是男人占据的最后____垒之一。

The army is still one of the last male bastions.

Example Sentences for 堡 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
军队仍然是男人占据的最后堡垒之一。

jūn duì réng rán shì nán rén zhān jù de zuì hòu bǎo lěi zhī yī。

The army is still one of the last male bastions.
2
素食汉堡是一种迅速传到了英国的新开发食品。

sù shí hàn bǎo shì yī zhǒng xùn sù chuán dào le yīng guó de xīn kāi fā shí pǐn。

The vegetarian burger was an innovation which was rapidly exported to Britain.
3
岛的最高处耸立着一座巨大的黑色城堡。

dǎo de zuì gāo chǔ sǒng lì zháo yī zuò jù dà de hēi sè chéng bǎo。

The island is surmounted by a huge black castle.
4
这座城堡坐落于一片方圆25英亩、风景秀丽的土地上。

zhè zuò chéng bǎo zuò luò yú yī piàn fāng yuán25 25 yīng、 mǔ 、 fēng jǐng xiù lì de tǔ。

The castle is set in 25 acres of beautiful grounds.
5
艾森豪威尔离开白宫，退隐到他在葛底斯堡的农场。

ài sēn háo wēi ěr lí kāi bái gōng， ， tuì yǐn dào tā zài gé dǐ sī bǎo de nóng。

Eisenhower left the White House and retired to his farm in Gettysburg.
6
据我估计我们离梅卡巴堡有七八公里远。

jù wǒ gū jì wǒ mén lí méi kǎ bā bǎo yǒu qī bā gōng lǐ yuǎn。

By my reckoning we were seven or eight kilometres from Borj Mechaab.
7
城堡仅有一小部分受损。

chéng bǎo jǐn yǒu yī xiǎo bù fēn shòu sǔn。

Damage was confined to a small portion of the castle.
8
在彼得斯堡，过去5年中有30名巡警死于暴力事件。

zài bǐ dé sī bǎo， ， guò5 qù 5 nián30 zhōng yǒu 30 míng xún jǐng sǐ yú bào。

In Petersburg, 30 patrolmen have died violently in the past five years.
9
这里又有一座高低不平的城堡建在悬崖绝壁之上。

zhè lǐ yòu yǒu yī zuò gāo dī bù píng de chéng bǎo jiàn zài xuán yá jué bì zhī shàng。

Here another rugged castle crowns the cliffs and crags.
10
来自德国汉堡的霍斯特是个名副其实的怪人。

lái zì dé guó hàn bǎo de huò sī tè shì gè míng fù qí shí de guài rén。

Horst, a German from Hamburg, was a true original.

Word Family of 堡

Words Containing This Character20
城堡chéngbǎocastle
汉堡Hamburg (German city)漢堡
堡bǎocastle
碉堡blockhouse
堡垒bǎolěifort堡壘
汉堡包hamburger (loanword)漢堡包
圣彼得堡Saint Petersburg (city in Russia)聖彼得堡
卢森堡Luxembourg盧森堡
伊斯兰堡Islamabad, capital of Pakistan伊斯蘭堡
爱丁堡Edinburgh, capital of Scotland愛丁堡
纽伦堡Nürnberg or Nuremberg, town in Bavaria, Germany紐倫堡
古堡ancient castle
哥德堡Gothenburg (city in Sweden)
约翰内斯堡Johannesburg, South Africa約翰內斯堡
地堡bunker (underground fortification)
斯特拉斯堡Strasbourg
沃尔夫斯堡Wolfsburg沃爾夫斯堡
君士坦丁堡Constantinople, capital of Byzantium
萨尔茨堡Salzburg薩爾茨堡
匹兹堡Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania)匹茲堡
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 城堡 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 堡

堡 refers specifically to fortresses or strongholds, while 城 (chéng) means city or town, often implying a larger urban area.

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