Meanings of 泡
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About 泡
Podcast: 泡
Podcast: 泡
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AI Study Notes for 泡
泡 (pào) vs 浸 (jìn) — use 泡 for informal or social contexts, while 浸 is more formal and specifically refers to soaking in liquid.
Be careful not to confuse 泡 with other similar-sounding verbs. It's informal and often used in casual contexts, especially when talking about social situations. Common collocations include 泡茶 (pāo chá, to steep tea) and 泡澡 (pāo zǎo, to take a soak in the bath).
While 泡 is not in the official HSK lists, it connects well with other verbs related to actions and processes at HSK 3 and above, like 煮 (zhǔ, to boil) and 浸 (jìn, to immerse). Focus on its various meanings and uses in different contexts.
Learners often confuse 泡 with 浸 (jìn), which means to immerse. For example, saying '我浸茶' instead of '我泡茶' (I steep tea) is incorrect. Remember to use 泡 specifically for steeping or soaking.
Pronunciation of 泡
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Etymology of 泡
Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 包 represents the sound.
water
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 泡
Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 包 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half包 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaywater
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 泡? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 泡
Identify the Components
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How to say puffed in Chinese
“puffed” in Chinese is泡
The character 泡 (pāo) primarily means 'to soak' or 'to infuse,' often referring to the process of steeping tea or food in liquid. It can also denote 'bubbles' or 'foam,' as seen in contexts like drinks or skin conditions. Additionally, it has informal meanings related to social interactions, such as 'to dawdle' or 'to pick up a girl.'
When to use 泡
Be careful not to confuse 泡 with other similar-sounding verbs. It's informal and often used in casual contexts, especially when talking about social situations. Common collocations include 泡茶 (pāo chá, to steep tea) and 泡澡 (pāo zǎo, to take a soak in the bath).
泡 or something close to it
泡 (pào) vs 浸 (jìn) — use 泡 for informal or social contexts, while 浸 is more formal and specifically refers to soaking in liquid.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 泡 with 浸 (jìn), which means to immerse. For example, saying '我浸茶' instead of '我泡茶' (I steep tea) is incorrect. Remember to use 泡 specifically for steeping or soaking.
Write 泡
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Practice writing 泡 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 泡
泡 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 19 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.
Complete the Sentence
手上起的水____让我心烦。
I was bothered about the blister on my hand.
Example Sentences for 泡 (10)
Word Family of 泡
Compound Meaning
What does 泡 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 泡
In the context of tea, 泡 (pāo) means to steep or infuse the tea leaves in hot water.
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