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叵 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
叵pǒcannot; to be unable; improbable; thereuponv, 5 strokes, radical 口, rank #54995, Very Hard
叵pǒnotunknown, 5 strokes, radical 口, rank #54995, Very Hard
pǒ(po3)po T3
  1. 1cannot; to be unable; improbable; thereupon
  2. 2not
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March 24, 2026

叵pǒ(po3)

The character 叵 (pǒ) indicates the inability or improbability of something occurring. It is often used in a context where one is expressing doubt or negation, suggesting that something cannot happen or is not feasible.

Strokes5Radical口Frequency#54995DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In classical Chinese literature, 叵 often appears in philosophical texts to express doubts about human capability or fate, reflecting a cultural appreciation for humility and the limits of human understanding.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person trying to climb a very steep mountain but slipping and falling back down. The image of someone unable to reach the top links to 'pǒ,' which sounds like 'poor,' as in 'poor me, I can't make it.' The character 叵 has the '口' (mouth) radical, suggesting speaking about something that can't happen.

Meanings of 叵

pǒ(po3)
1cannot; to be unable; improbable; thereupon
2not
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 叵

叵Simplified
5Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 叵

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AI Study Notes for 叵

Usage Notes

Be cautious when using 叵 in formal contexts, as it can sound overly negative. It is often paired with other words to form phrases indicating impossibility or improbability. Common collocations include '叵以' (cannot) and '叵知' (unable to know).

HSK Study Tips

While 叵 is not included in the HSK levels, it is useful to understand in the context of expressing doubts. Students should focus on recognizing it in literary texts and understanding its nuances of negation, connecting it to other negation words like '不' (bù).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 叵 with 不, thinking they are interchangeable. For example, saying '我叵去' instead of '我不去' (I am not going) is incorrect; the correct form is '我不去.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 叵

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Etymology of 叵

Decomposition of 叵

IDS Structure⿷匚口
叵Full Character
=
匚fang1
enclosing
口kou3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 叵?

How to say cannot; to be unable; improbable; thereupon in Chinese

“cannot; to be unable; improbable; thereupon” in Chinese is叵pǒ

The character 叵 (pǒ) indicates the inability or improbability of something occurring. It is often used in a context where one is expressing doubt or negation, suggesting that something cannot happen or is not feasible.

When to use 叵

Be cautious when using 叵 in formal contexts, as it can sound overly negative. It is often paired with other words to form phrases indicating impossibility or improbability. Common collocations include '叵以' (cannot) and '叵知' (unable to know).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 叵 with 不, thinking they are interchangeable. For example, saying '我叵去' instead of '我不去' (I am not going) is incorrect; the correct form is '我不去.'

Write 叵

叵

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

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Word Family of 叵

Words Containing This Character4
叵pǒnot
居心叵测harboring unfathomable motives (idiom)居心叵測
叵测unfathomable叵測
心怀叵测harboring unfathomable motives (idiom)心懷叵測
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 叵

What does 居心叵测 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 叵

In everyday conversation, 叵 is rarely used on its own; it is often found in more literary or formal contexts to express doubts.

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