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玻 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
玻
bō
glass
n, 9 strokes, radical 王, rank #11108, Very Hard
bō(bo1)bo T1
1glass
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
玻bō(bo1)
The character 玻 (bō) means 'glass' and is commonly used in contexts relating to objects made of glass, such as windows or drinking vessels. It can also be found in compound words that describe glass products or materials, emphasizing its role in everyday life.
Strokes9Radical王Frequency#11108DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, glass is often associated with modernity and transparency, particularly in urban architecture. The use of glass in buildings symbolizes openness and progress, reflecting the rapid development of cities in China.
Memory tip
Imagine a large, shiny piece of glass reflecting the sun. The character 玻 has a component resembling a piece of glass with its sharp edges (these are the 'tiles' on a roof). Picture 'bō' as the sound made when a glass object is placed down gently - this will help you remember both the pronunciation and meaning.
Meanings of 玻
bō(bo1)
1glass
Exercise 1 of 3
By ear
Play it, then pick what 玻 means.
About 玻
玻Simplified
9Strokes
王Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#11108Frequency Rank
Podcast: 玻
Podcast: 玻
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AI study notes for 玻
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 玻 (bō) with similar characters, such as 瓦 (wǎ) which means 'tile'. 玻 is typically used in both formal and informal contexts but is more common in everyday language. Collocations include 玻璃杯 (bōlí bēi) meaning 'glass cup' and 玻璃窗 (bōlí chuāng) meaning 'glass window'.
HSK Study Tips
Although 玻 (bō) is not officially in the HSK vocabulary list, it aligns with HSK 3 concepts like materials and objects. Focus on learning related vocabulary, such as 玻璃 (bōlí), which means 'glass' in a broader sense, to enhance your understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 玻 (bō) with 玻璃 (bōlí), mistakenly using one instead of the other. Remember, 玻 is the character for 'glass,' while 玻璃 is the word for 'glass' as a material or item.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 玻
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 玻 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
玻 = 王 + 皮. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 玻
IDS Structure⿰王皮
玻Full character
=
王Wang2
left
皮Pi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 玻?
How to say glass in Chinese
“glass” in Chinese is玻bō
The character 玻 (bō) means 'glass' and is commonly used in contexts relating to objects made of glass, such as windows or drinking vessels. It can also be found in compound words that describe glass products or materials, emphasizing its role in everyday life.
When to use 玻
Be careful not to confuse 玻 (bō) with similar characters, such as 瓦 (wǎ) which means 'tile'. 玻 is typically used in both formal and informal contexts but is more common in everyday language. Collocations include 玻璃杯 (bōlí bēi) meaning 'glass cup' and 玻璃窗 (bōlí chuāng) meaning 'glass window'.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 玻 (bō) with 玻璃 (bōlí), mistakenly using one instead of the other. Remember, 玻 is the character for 'glass,' while 玻璃 is the word for 'glass' as a material or item.
Write 玻
玻
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Practice writing 玻 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 玻
玻 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 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
需要保护你的手臂和双腿免受____璃反射光线的照射。
Your arms and legs need protection from light bouncing off glass.
Common confusions with 玻
玻vs波
bō
Same pronunciation, different meaning.
玻vs破
pò
Similar shape, but different meaning.
Exercise 1 of 1
Which one
Which one means “glass”?
or
Example sentences for 玻 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
需要保护你的手臂和双腿免受玻璃反射光线的照射。
xūyào bǎohù nǐ de shǒubì hé shuāng tuǐ miǎn shòu bōli fǎnshè guāngxiàn de zhàoshè。
Your arms and legs need protection from light bouncing off glass.
