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波 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
波BōPolandHSK 7, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #2077, Hard
波BōPolishHSK 7, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #2077, Hard
波Bōabbr. for 波蘭HSK 7, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #2077, Hard
波Bō>波兰[Bō lán]HSK 7, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #2077, Hard
波BōwaveHSK 7, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #2077, Hard
波BōrippleHSK 7, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #2077, Hard
波BōstormHSK 7, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #2077, Hard
波BōsurgeHSK 7, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #2077, Hard
波Bōwaves, ripples, breakers; undulationsHSK 7, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #2077, Hard
波Bōabbr. for 波蘭|波兰[Bo1 lan2]HSK 7, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #2077, Hard
Bō(Bo1) T1
  1. 1Poland
  2. 2Polish
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
波Bō(Bo1)

The character 波 (bō) primarily means 'wave' or 'ripple', often used in contexts related to water or movement. It can also refer to surges, such as in storms. Additionally, it is an abbreviation for Poland (波兰) in geographical or cultural discussions.

Strokes8Radical氵Frequency#2077DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, waves (波) are often symbolic of change and transformation, reflecting the dynamic nature of life. This is evident in traditional poetry and art, where water imagery is prevalent.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant wave (波) crashing on the shore, creating ripples that spread out. The wave's motion can remind you of the pronunciation 'bō', as it sounds like the 'bo' in 'boat', which rides the waves.

Meanings of 波

Bō(Bo1)
1Poland
2Polish
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 波

波Simplified
8Strokes
氵Radical
简称abbreviation (abbr.)Part of Speech
#2077Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 波

JasonAmy

Podcast: 波

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 波

Quick Contrast

涌 (yǒng) - use 波 (bō) when referring to waves or ripples, while 涌 (yǒng) implies a more forceful surge or rush of water.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a giant wave (波) crashing on the shore, creating ripples that spread out. The wave's motion can remind you of the pronunciation 'bō', as it sounds like the 'bo' in 'boat', which rides the waves.

Usage Notes

波 is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in discussions about nature or physics. A common mistake is confusing it with the similar sounding word '薄' (bó), which means 'thin'. Be mindful of the tones when using the word.

HSK Study Tips

While 波 is not in HSK levels 1-6, it connects to themes of nature and movement found in other vocabulary. Focus on its usage in phrases related to water, such as '海浪' (hǎilàng - sea waves), to reinforce learning.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, waves (波) are often symbolic of change and transformation, reflecting the dynamic nature of life. This is evident in traditional poetry and art, where water imagery is prevalent.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 波 with similar characters like 波 (bō) and 薄 (bó). For example, saying '我喜欢薄' (wǒ xǐhuān bó - I like thin) instead of '我喜欢波' (wǒ xǐhuān bō - I like waves) can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 波

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Etymology of 波

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

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 皮 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

water

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 波?

Decomposition of 波

IDS Structure⿰氵皮
波Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
皮Pi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 波?

Write 波

波

Practice writing 波 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 波

波 carries 10 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Related grammar lessons2
Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

他的情绪有____动，一时高兴一时悲伤。

His emotions fluctuate — happy one moment, sad the next.

Example Sentences for 波 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我把最后两指宽的波旁威士忌都倒进自己杯中。

wǒ bǎ zuì hòu liǎng zhǐ kuān de bō páng wēi shì jì dū dǎo jìn zì jǐ bēi zhōng。

I poured two final fingers of bourbon into my glass.
2
我用短波收音机收听最新的战事新闻。

wǒ yòng duǎn bō shōu yīn jī shōu tīng zuì xīn de zhàn shì xīn wén。

I use the short-wave radio to get the latest war news.
3
他用微型声波发射器开启了门。

tā yòng wēi xíng shēng bō fā shè qì kāi qǐ le mén。

He activated the door with the miniature sonic transmitter.
4
伦敦市芭蕾舞团从波修瓦芭蕾舞团聘来了两名男舞蹈演员。

lún dūn shì bā lěi wǔ tuán cóng bō xiū wǎ bā lěi wǔ tuán pìn lái le liǎng míng nán wǔ dǎo yǎn yuán。

The London City Ballet has engaged two male dancers from the Bolshoi.
5
葡萄酒生产过剩及由此造成的市价低迷引起了经济波动。

pú táo jiǔ shēng chǎn guò shèng jí yóu cǐ zào chéng de shì jià dī mí yǐn qǐ le jīng jì bō dòng。

Overproduction and consequent low market prices for wine caused economic tremors.
6
我们花了很多钱买波希米亚玻璃制品送人和自用。

wǒ mén huā le hěn duō qián mǎi bō xī mǐ yà bō lí zhì pǐn sòng rén hé zì yòng。

We splurged on Bohemian glass for gifts, and for ourselves.
7
为了灌制这张唱片你们大家似乎都经历了重重波折。

wéi le guàn zhì zhè zhāng chàng piàn nǐ mén dà jiā sì hū dū jīng lì le zhòng zhòng bō zhē。

All of you seem to have gone through hell making this record.
8
这是权力显赫的波城领主的故居。

zhè shì quán lì xiǎn hè de bō chéng lǐng zhǔ de gù jū。

It was the home of the powerful lords of Baux.
9
这一危机已在魁北克激起了一波民族独立主义情绪。

zhè yī wēi jī yǐ zài kuí běi kè jī qǐ le yī bō mín zú dú lì zhǔ yì qíng xù。

The crisis has set off a wave of nationalist feelings in Quebec.
10
晚饭后，他要了一杯波尔图葡萄酒。

wǎn fàn hòu， ， tā yào le yī bēi bō ěr tú pú táo。

He asked for a glass of port after dinner.

Cultural Notes for 波

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, waves (波) are often symbolic of change and transformation, reflecting the dynamic nature of life. This is evident in traditional poetry and art, where water imagery is prevalent.

Word Family of 波

Compounds6
婆po2grandmother
菠bo1spinach
啵bo1onomatopoetic, the sound of a brook bubbling
碆
箥
錃
Words Containing This Character20
波Bōwave
波动bōdòngto undulate波動
波士顿Boston, capital of Massachusetts波士頓
波兰Poland波蘭
宁波Ningbo subprovincial city in Zhejiang寧波
波特porter (beer)
微波炉wēibōlúmicrowave oven微波爐
奔波bēnbōto rush about
波斯Persia
风波fēngbōcrisis風波
微波ripple
波音Boeing
波多黎各Puerto Rico, self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States
波浪bōlàngwave
阿波罗Apollo (loanword)阿波羅
波澜bōlánbillows波瀾
超声波ultrasound (scan)超聲波
波比burpee (loanword)
波及bōjíto spread to
冲击波shock wave衝擊波
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 婆 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 波

波 is pronounced as 'bō', with a high, level tone.