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爆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
爆bàoto explode or burstHSK 6, v, 19 strokes, radical 火, rank #2374, Hard
爆bàoto quick fry or quick boilHSK 6, v, 19 strokes, radical 火, rank #2374, Hard
爆bàocrackle, pop; burst, explodeHSK 6, v, 19 strokes, radical 火, rank #2374, Hard
bào(bao4) T4
  1. 1to explode or burst
  2. 2to quick fry or quick boil
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March 24, 2026
爆bào(bao4)

The character 爆 (bào) primarily means to explode or burst. It can also refer to the action of quick frying or boiling food, where intense heat causes rapid cooking. This word is commonly used in contexts related to cooking, fireworks, or any sudden, forceful occurrence.

Strokes19Radical火Frequency#2374DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'exploding' is not only relevant in cooking but also during celebrations like the Lunar New Year, where firecrackers are used to ward off evil spirits. This connection highlights the festive nature of explosions in daily life.

Memory Tip

Imagine a balloon (representing 爆) filled with air that suddenly bursts with a loud 'pop!' The visual of the balloon exploding connects the character's meaning of 'to burst' with its shape, where the top part resembles the bursting action, and the 'b' sound in 'bào' mimics the sound of an explosion.

Meanings of 爆

bào(bao4)
1to explode or burst
2to quick fry or quick boil
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 爆

爆Simplified
19Strokes
火Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2374Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 爆

JasonAmy

Podcast: 爆

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 爆

Quick Contrast

炸 (zhà) — use 爆 (bào) when emphasizing a sudden explosion or burst, while 炸 (zhà) specifically refers to the cooking method of deep-frying.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a balloon (representing 爆) filled with air that suddenly bursts with a loud 'pop!' The visual of the balloon exploding connects the character's meaning of 'to burst' with its shape, where the top part resembles the bursting action, and the 'b' sound in 'bào' mimics the sound of an explosion.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 爆 with similar characters like 破 (pò), which means 'to break.' 爆 can be used in both informal and formal contexts, but is often found in culinary discussions or descriptions of explosions. Remember to use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it as 'pō' could lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 爆 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with Level 3 and 4 words related to cooking and actions, such as 煮 (zhǔ - to boil) and 烧 (shāo - to cook). Focus on its usage in cooking contexts and phrases to build a practical vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'exploding' is not only relevant in cooking but also during celebrations like the Lunar New Year, where firecrackers are used to ward off evil spirits. This connection highlights the festive nature of explosions in daily life.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 爆 with the character 炸 (zhà), which also means 'to fry' or 'to explode' but is used differently in culinary contexts. For example, saying '我想爆鱼' (wǒ xiǎng bào yú) instead of '我想炸鱼' (wǒ xiǎng zhà yú) is incorrect, as 炸 is the appropriate term for frying fish.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 爆

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Etymology of 爆

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

Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 暴 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

A violent 暴 flame 火; 暴 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 爆?

Decomposition of 爆

IDS Structure⿰火暴
爆Full Character
=
火Huo3
left
暴Bao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 爆?

Write 爆

爆

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

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Grammar Patterns of 爆

爆 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 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.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

一辆南行的卡车____胎并撞车了。

A lorry travelling south had a blow-out and crashed.

Example Sentences for 爆 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
一辆南行的卡车爆胎并撞车了。

yī liàng nán háng de kǎ chē bào tāi bìng zhuàng chē le。

A lorry travelling south had a blow-out and crashed.
2
战争爆发时，他作为敌国人士遭到关押。

zhàn zhēng bào fā shí， ， tā zuò wéi dí guó rén shì zāo dào guān。

When war broke out, he was interned as an enemy alien.
3
这场政治争端有可能演化成一场全面爆发的危机。

zhè cháng zhèng zhì zhēng duān yǒu kě néng yǎn huà chéng yī cháng quán miàn bào fā de wēi jī。

This political row threatens to grow into a full blown crisis.
4
他有一副能把所有人都吓得那个什么滚什么流的火爆脾气。

tā yǒu yī fù néng bǎ suǒ yǒu rén dū xià dé nà gè shí mó gǔn shí mó liú de huǒ bào pí qì。

He's got that fiery temper which scares the whatsit out of everybody.
5
这可能会加剧爆发核战争的危险。

zhè kě néng huì jiā jù bào fā hé zhàn zhēng de wēi xiǎn。

This could intensify the risk of a nuclear exchange.
6
有时挫折和愤怒会以直接的暴力形式爆发出来。

yǒu shí cuò zhē hé fèn nù huì yǐ zhí jiē de bào lì xíng shì bào fā chū lái。

Sometimes frustration and anger can boil over into direct and violent action.
7
恐怕陆地战爆发的可能性很大。

kǒng pà lù dì zhàn bào fā de kě néng xìng hěn dà。

I fear that a land war now looks very probable.
8
西班牙流感的大爆发夺去了全球近2,200万人的生命。

xī bān yá liú gǎn de dà bào fā duó qù le quán qiú jìn2,200 2,200 wàn rén de shēng。

One pandemic of Spanish flu took nearly 22 million lives worldwide.
9
如果扎进一颗大头钉,气球就会突然爆开.

rú guǒ zā jìn yī kē dà tóu dīng, , qì qiú jiù huì tū rán bào.

The balloon will pop if you put a pin in it.
10
他巡回演出了近两年，500场演出场场爆满。

tā xún huí yǎn chū le jìn liǎng nián，500 ，500 cháng yǎn chū cháng cháng bào。

He toured for nearly two years and played 500 sell-out shows.

Cultural Notes for 爆

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'exploding' is not only relevant in cooking but also during celebrations like the Lunar New Year, where firecrackers are used to ward off evil spirits. This connection highlights the festive nature of explosions in daily life.

Word Family of 爆

Words Containing This Character20
爆炸bàozhàexplosion
爆bàoto explode or burst
爆发bàofāto break out爆發
引爆to ignite
火爆popular
爆米花puffed rice
爆破to blow up
爆竹bàozhúfirecracker
爆出to burst out
爆炸物explosive (material)
爆裂to rupture
爆笑hilarious
爆满bàomǎnfilled to capacity (of theater, stadium, gymnasium etc)爆滿
爆炸性explosive
起爆to explode
大爆炸Big Bang (cosmology)
爆棚full to bursting
爆炒to conduct a media blitz
核爆炸nuclear explosion
惊爆unexpected驚爆
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 爆炸 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 爆

Common phrases include 爆米花 (bào mǐ huā - popcorn) and 爆炸 (bào zhà - to explode).