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勃 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
flourishingnz, 9 strokes, radical 力, rank #5398, Hard
prosperousnz, 9 strokes, radical 力, rank #5398, Hard
suddenlynz, 9 strokes, radical 力, rank #5398, Hard
abruptlynz, 9 strokes, radical 力, rank #5398, Hard
thriving, prosperous; sudden, quicknz, 9 strokes, radical 力, rank #5398, Hard
(bo2) T2
  1. 1flourishing
  2. 2prosperous
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(bo2)

The character 勃 (bó) conveys a sense of suddenness and flourishing. It is often used to describe something that is thriving or prosperous, typically occurring abruptly. In contexts such as nature or business, it denotes rapid growth or success.

Strokes9RadicalFrequency#5398DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

The character 勃 appears in various Chinese literary works to describe moments of sudden change, reflecting the cultural appreciation for nature's unpredictable beauty and the swift rise of fortunes, often found in poetry and traditional stories.

Memory Tip

Imagine a vibrant flower (representing flourishing) that suddenly blooms (suggesting abruptness) when the sun shines. The character 勃, with its rising strokes, visually resembles the swift ascent of this flower towards the sky, reflecting both the pronunciation 'bó' and its meaning of sudden prosperity.

Meanings of 勃

(bo2)
1flourishing
2prosperous
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 勃

Simplified
9Strokes
Radical
其它专名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#5398Frequency Rank

Podcast: 勃

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 勃

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a vibrant flower (representing flourishing) that suddenly blooms (suggesting abruptness) when the sun shines. The character 勃, with its rising strokes, visually resembles the swift ascent of this flower towards the sky, reflecting both the pronunciation 'bó' and its meaning of sudden prosperity.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 勃 with similar characters that imply gentler growth or gradual change. This character is more commonly used in literary or formal contexts, while its nuances may be lost in casual conversation. Be mindful that it can also signify abruptness, which might not always align with a positive context.

HSK Study Tips

While 勃 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other characters that indicate growth or sudden change, like 繁 (fán) meaning 'prosperous'. Focus on recognizing its usage in literary texts to enhance vocabulary related to success and transition.

Cultural Note

The character 勃 appears in various Chinese literary works to describe moments of sudden change, reflecting the cultural appreciation for nature's unpredictable beauty and the swift rise of fortunes, often found in poetry and traditional stories.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 勃 with characters like 繁 that imply gradual growth. For instance, using 勃 in a sentence about slow development would be incorrect; instead, use 繁 for a more suitable meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 勃

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Etymology of 勃

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

strength

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 勃?

Decomposition of 勃

IDS Structure⿰孛力
Full Character
=
bei4
left
Li4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 勃?

Write 勃

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

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Grammar Patterns of 勃

勃 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 5 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

____朗宁的预测不过是妄加猜测而已。

Browning's prediction is no better than a wild guess.

Example Sentences for 勃 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
勃朗宁的预测不过是妄加猜测而已。

bó lǎng níng de yù cè bù guò shì wàng jiā cāi cè ér yǐ。

Browning's prediction is no better than a wild guess.
2
鲍勃·马利让他们首次接触到了雷盖音乐。

bào bó· · mǎ lì ràng tā mén shǒu cì jiē chù dào le léi gài yīn。

Bob Marley provided them with their first taste of Reggae music.
3
鲍勃死于由他的生活方式引起的心脏病突发。

bào bó sǐ yú yóu tā de shēng huó fāng shì yǐn qǐ de xīn zāng bìng tū fā。

Bob died of a heart attack, brought on by his lifestyle.
4
焦急万分的鲍勃和汉斯把整座房子找了个遍。

jiāo jí wàn fēn de bào bó hé hàn sī bǎ zhěng zuò fáng zǐ zhǎo le gè biàn。

Desperate with anxiety, Bob and Hans searched the whole house.
5
据他自己所言,他是个雄心勃勃的工作狂。

jù tā zì jǐ suǒ yán, , tā shì gè xióng xīn bó bó de gōng zuò。

He was by his own account an ambitious workaholic.
6
他毫无倦意,兴致勃勃地说个没完。

tā háo wú juàn yì, , xīng zhì bó bó dì shuō gè méi。

He was quite tireless, bubbling over with vitality.
7
哈珀上校发现了一定会勃然大怒。

hā pò shàng xiào fā xiàn le yī dìng huì bó rán dà nù。

When Colonel Harper found out, he would go ape.
8
鲍勃从椅子上滑下来,趴在了地板上。

bào bó cóng yǐ zǐ shàng huá xià lái, , pā zài le dì bǎn。

Bob slid from his chair and lay prone on the floor.
9
他们确实遇上麻烦了,鲍勃闷闷不乐地想。

tā mén què shí yù shàng má fán le, , bào bó mèn mèn bù lè dì。

They were in a real jam, Bob thought glumly.
10
鲍勃匆忙赶去和他会合,然后两人一起开车回家。

bào bó cōng máng gǎn qù hé tā huì hé, , rán hòu liǎng rén yī qǐ kāi chē huí。

Bob hurried to join him, and they rode home together.

Cultural Notes for 勃

🏮Cultural insight

The character 勃 appears in various Chinese literary works to describe moments of sudden change, reflecting the cultural appreciation for nature's unpredictable beauty and the swift rise of fortunes, often found in poetry and traditional stories.

Word Family of 勃

Compounds3
Bo2swelling; the Bohai sea
Words Containing This Character17
flourishing
蓬勃péngbóvigorous
兴致勃勃xìngzhìbóbófull of zest興致勃勃
勃起erection
克格勃KGB (Soviet secret police)
雄心勃勃pushy
朝气蓬勃zhāoqìpéngbóenergetic朝氣蓬勃
生机勃勃full of vitality生機勃勃
哈勃Hubble (name)
勃发to sprout up勃發
生气勃勃full of vitality生氣勃勃
勃勃thriving
勃列日涅夫Leonid Brezhnev (1906-1982), Soviet statesman, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the USSR 1966-1982
彭勃Peng Bo
勃然suddenly
王勃Wang Bo (650-676), one of the Four Great Poets of the Early Tang 初唐四傑|初唐四杰[Chū​Táng​Sì​jié]
勃兰登堡Brandenburg (e.g. gate, concertos)勃蘭登堡
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 渤 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 勃

勃 is not commonly used in everyday speech but may appear in literary contexts or discussions about success.