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脯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
脯fǔdried meat; preserved fruitsg, 11 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #34528, Very Hard
脯fǔchestunknown, 11 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #34528, Very Hard
脯fǔpreserved fruitunknown, 11 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #34528, Very Hard
脯fǔbreastunknown, 11 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #34528, Very Hard
脯púdried meat; preserved fruitsg, 11 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #34528, Very Hard
脯púchestunknown, 11 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #34528, Very Hard
脯púpreserved fruitunknown, 11 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #34528, Very Hard
脯púbreastunknown, 11 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #34528, Very Hard
fǔ(fu3)
primary
T3
  1. 1dried meat; preserved fruits
  2. 2chest
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

脯fǔ(fu3)

The character 脯 (fǔ) primarily refers to dried meat or preserved fruits, often used in the context of snacks or food preservation. It can also imply a chest or breast, particularly in a biological sense. The term is commonly found in culinary discussions, especially when talking about traditional Chinese snacks.

Strokes11Radical⺼Frequency#34528DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, dried meats and preserved fruits are popular snacks, especially during festivals and celebrations, reflecting the tradition of preserving food for longevity and taste. Dried meat is also a common gift item.

Memory Tip

Think of 脯 (fǔ) as 'food for the chest' where '肉' (meat) is at the bottom, suggesting something hearty like dried meat. Imagine a chest filled with delicious preserved fruits and meats, creating a vivid image that connects the character to its meaning.

Meanings of 脯

fǔ(fu3)
primary
1dried meat; preserved fruits
2chest
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 脯

脯Simplified
11Strokes
⺼Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 脯

JasonAmy

Podcast: 脯

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 脯

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone; 脯 is pronounced with a falling tone (fǔ), and mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other words. It is typically used in informal contexts related to food. Common collocations include 脯肉 (dried meat) and 脯果 (preserved fruit).

HSK Study Tips

While 脯 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with HSK Level 3 words related to food and dining. Students should focus on the radicals, particularly 肉 (meat), as it often appears in other food-related characters.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 脯 with similar-sounding words like 扶 (fú, to help), leading to incorrect meanings. Remember that 脯 specifically relates to food items, while 扶 pertains to assistance.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 脯

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Etymology of 脯

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

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 甫 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

meat

Semantic (meaning)⺼
+
Phonetic (sound)甫
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 脯

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 甫 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half⺼ carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half甫 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymeat
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 脯? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 脯?

Decomposition of 脯

IDS Structure⿰⺼甫
脯Full Character
=
⺼rou4
left
甫fu3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 脯?

How to say dried meat; preserved fruits in Chinese

“dried meat; preserved fruits” in Chinese is脯fǔ

The character 脯 (fǔ) primarily refers to dried meat or preserved fruits, often used in the context of snacks or food preservation. It can also imply a chest or breast, particularly in a biological sense. The term is commonly found in culinary discussions, especially when talking about traditional Chinese snacks.

When to use 脯

Be cautious with the tone; 脯 is pronounced with a falling tone (fǔ), and mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other words. It is typically used in informal contexts related to food. Common collocations include 脯肉 (dried meat) and 脯果 (preserved fruit).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 脯 with similar-sounding words like 扶 (fú, to help), leading to incorrect meanings. Remember that 脯 specifically relates to food items, while 扶 pertains to assistance.

Write 脯

脯

Practice writing 脯 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 脯

脯 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

屠维岳 把胸____更挺得直些,微微冷笑.

Tu Wei - yueh merely drew himself up and smiled sardonically.

Example Sentences for 脯 (5)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
屠维岳 把胸脯更挺得直些,微微冷笑.

tú wéi yuè bǎ xiōng fǔ gēng tǐng dé zhí, xiē , wēi wēi.

Tu Wei - yueh merely drew himself up and smiled sardonically.
2
它还含有高浓度的脯氨酸和羟脯氨酸.

tā huán hán yǒu gāo nóng dù de fǔ ān suān hé qiǎng fǔ ān suān.

It also contains high concentrations of proline and hydroxyproline.
3
鸡脯冻

jī fǔ dòng

chicken breast in aspic
4
梅干 、 梨脯 、 桃脯等干果, 都是炖过的.

méi gān、 、 lí、 fǔ 、 táo fǔ děng, gān guǒ , dū shì.

Dried fruits such as prunes, pears, and peaches, are stewed.
5
说时又倒下去, 两手按眼, 胸脯一耸一耸的哭.

shuō shí yòu dǎo xià qù, , liǎng shǒu àn, yǎn , xiōng fǔ yī sǒng yī sǒng.

She then fell back down, put her hands over her eyes, and heaved with sobs.

Word Family of 脯

Words Containing This Character4
胸脯chest
脯fǔchest
果脯candied fruit
脯氨酸proline (Pro), an amino acid
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 胸脯 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 脯

It refers mainly to dried meats and preserved fruits, which are common in Chinese cuisine.

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