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庖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
páokitchen; cooking, cuisineng, 8 strokes, radical 广, rank #66218, Very Hard
páo(pao2) T2
  1. 1kitchen; cooking, cuisine
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March 24, 2026
páo(pao2)

The character 庖 (páo) refers to a kitchen or a place where food is prepared and cooked. It is often used in contexts related to cooking and cuisine, indicating both the physical space and the culinary practices associated with it.

Strokes8Radical广Frequency#66218DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the kitchen is considered the heart of the home, where family gatherings often take place over shared meals. The emphasis on cooking reflects the importance of food in fostering relationships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'pal' (pá) cooking together in a cozy kitchen (庖) filled with delicious aromas. The character has a roof radical (亠) on top, suggesting a covered space, while the bottom part hints at the activity of preparing meals.

Meanings of 庖

páo(pao2)
1kitchen; cooking, cuisine
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 庖

Simplified
8Strokes
广Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 庖

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 庖

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'pal' (pá) cooking together in a cozy kitchen (庖) filled with delicious aromas. The character has a roof radical (亠) on top, suggesting a covered space, while the bottom part hints at the activity of preparing meals.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 庖 with other kitchen-related terms like 厨 (chú). This character is more formal and may be found in literary or historical texts, while 厨 is commonly used in everyday conversation. Remember to use the correct tone to avoid confusion.

HSK Study Tips

Although 庖 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to related words like 厨房 (chúfáng, kitchen) which is essential for learners. Focus on recognizing its usage in literature or historical contexts to enrich your vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the kitchen is considered the heart of the home, where family gatherings often take place over shared meals. The emphasis on cooking reflects the importance of food in fostering relationships.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 庖 when they mean 厨房 (chúfáng), leading to awkward phrases. Always opt for 厨房 in casual settings for clarity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 庖

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Etymology of 庖

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

Phonosemantic compound. 广 represents the meaning and 包 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

house

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 庖?

Decomposition of 庖

IDS Structure⿸广包
Full Character
=
广Guang3
enclosing
Bao1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 庖?

Write 庖

Practice writing 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 庖

庖 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). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

在溪边, ____丁在做钩形饼干之前查阅了一本食谱.

By crook, the cook looked through a cookbook before making hooked cookies.

Example Sentences for 庖 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
在溪边, 庖丁在做钩形饼干之前查阅了一本食谱.

zài xī biān, , páo dīng zài zuò gōu xíng bǐng gān zhī qián chá yuè le yī běn shí.

By crook, the cook looked through a cookbook before making hooked cookies.

Cultural Notes for 庖

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese culture, the kitchen is considered the heart of the home, where family gatherings often take place over shared meals. The emphasis on cooking reflects the importance of food in fostering relationships.

Word Family of 庖

Words Containing This Character4
páokitchen
越俎代庖to take matters into one's own hands
庖厨kitchen庖廚
庖牺氏another name for 伏羲[Fú​Xī], consort of 女媧|女娲[Nǚ​wā]庖犧氏
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 庖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 庖

No, it's more commonly found in literary contexts or formal writings.