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腹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
腹fùabdomenHSK 7, n, 13 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #8166, Very Hard
腹fùstomachHSK 7, n, 13 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #8166, Very Hard
腹fùbellyHSK 7, n, 13 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #8166, Very Hard
腹fùstomach, belly, abdomen; insideHSK 7, n, 13 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #8166, Very Hard
fù(fu4)fu T4
  1. 1abdomen
  2. 2stomach
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March 24, 2026

腹fù(fu4)

The character 腹 (fù) refers to the abdomen, stomach, or belly. It is commonly used in medical contexts as well as in discussions about food, health, and the physical body, emphasizing the inner part of the human body. Its usage can also extend metaphorically to convey feelings or intuitions, as in 'gut feelings.'

Strokes13Radical⺼Frequency#8166DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of the abdomen (腹) is vital, as it's believed to be the center of digestion and emotional health. Terms like '腹痛' (fù tòng, abdominal pain) are common in discussions about health.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'full belly' (腹 sounds like 'foo' which can remind you of 'full'). Picture someone after a big meal, their abdomen bulging outwards. The character itself has a 'belly' radical (肉) at the bottom, reinforcing the idea of something fleshy or internal.

Meanings of 腹

fù(fu4)
1abdomen
2stomach
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 腹

腹Simplified
13Strokes
⺼Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#8166Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 腹

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Podcast: 腹

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AI Study Notes for 腹

Quick Contrast

腹 (fù) vs 肚 (dù) — use 腹 (fù) for more formal or medical contexts, while 肚 (dù) is more casual and often refers specifically to the stomach area.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 腹 with 胃 (wèi), which specifically refers to the stomach as an organ. Ensure to use 腹 when talking about the abdomen or the body as a whole. It is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, but care should be taken with pronunciation, as the tone is crucial.

HSK Study Tips

腹 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, but it connects well with other body-related terms like 胸 (xiōng, chest) and 身体 (shēntǐ, body). Students should focus on understanding how 腹 can be used in different contexts, particularly in health and nutrition discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mix up 腹 with 肚子 (dùzi), which is a more colloquial term for belly. For example, saying '我腹饿' (wǒ fù è, I am hungry) is incorrect; '我肚子饿' (wǒ dùzi è) is the correct expression.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 腹

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Etymology of 腹

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

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

Memory Hint

flesh

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

Origin

腹 = ⺼ + 复. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 腹

IDS Structure⿰⺼复
腹Full Character
=
⺼rou4
left
复fu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 腹?

How to say abdomen in Chinese

“abdomen” in Chinese is腹fù

The character 腹 (fù) refers to the abdomen, stomach, or belly. It is commonly used in medical contexts as well as in discussions about food, health, and the physical body, emphasizing the inner part of the human body. Its usage can also extend metaphorically to convey feelings or intuitions, as in 'gut feelings.'

When to use 腹

Learners often confuse 腹 with 胃 (wèi), which specifically refers to the stomach as an organ. Ensure to use 腹 when talking about the abdomen or the body as a whole. It is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, but care should be taken with pronunciation, as the tone is crucial.

腹 or something close to it

腹 (fù) vs 肚 (dù) — use 腹 (fù) for more formal or medical contexts, while 肚 (dù) is more casual and often refers specifically to the stomach area.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mix up 腹 with 肚子 (dùzi), which is a more colloquial term for belly. For example, saying '我腹饿' (wǒ fù è, I am hungry) is incorrect; '我肚子饿' (wǒ dùzi è) is the correct expression.

Write 腹

腹

Practice writing 腹 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 腹

腹 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). It carries 4 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

亚当斯满____狐疑地问道:“你到底要我做什么?”

"What is it you want me to do?" Adams asked suspiciously.

Example Sentences for 腹 (10)

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1
亚当斯满腹狐疑地问道:“你到底要我做什么?”

yà dāng sī mǎn fù hú yí dì wèn dào:“ :“ nǐ dào dǐ yào wǒ zuò shí?”

"What is it you want me to do?" Adams asked suspiciously.
2
崖沙燕是一种褐羽白腹的鸟。

yá shā yàn shì yī zhǒng hè yǔ bái fù de niǎo。

The sand martin is a brown bird with white underneath.
3
另一名受伤男子是腹部的皮外伤。

lìng yī míng shòu shāng nán zǐ shì fù bù de pí wài shāng。

The other injured man had a superficial stomach wound.
4
他突然感到腹部一阵剧烈疼痛。

tā tū rán gǎn dào fù bù yī zhèn jù liè téng tòng。

He was struck by a stabbing pain in his midriff.
5
孕妇酗酒可能会危及腹中胎儿。

yùn fù xù jiǔ kě néng huì wēi jí fù zhōng tāi ér。

Pregnant women who are heavy drinkers risk damaging the unborn foetus.
6
通过采取更好的坐姿,你的腹部马上就会看起来平坦一些。

tōng guò cǎi qǔ gēng hǎo de zuò zī, , nǐ de fù bù mǎ shàng jiù huì kàn qǐ lái píng tǎn yī。

You can make your stomach look flatter instantly by improving your posture.
7
得跟这么一群无聊的老家伙呆在一起,他会满腹牢骚的。

dé gēn zhè mó yī qún wú liáo de lǎo jiā huǒ dāi zài yī qǐ, , tā huì mǎn fù láo sāo。

He will complain about having to spend time with such a boring bunch of geriatrics.
8
科西嘉岛腹地地势高企,环境荒芜。

kē xī jiā dǎo fù dì dì shì gāo qǐ, , huán jìng huāng。

The interior of Corsica is high and untamed.
9
他把手放在狗的胁腹上。

tā bǎ shǒu fàng zài gǒu de xié fù shàng。

He put his hand on the dog's flank.
10
喂得太快会引起腹胀和反流.

wèi dé tài kuài huì yǐn qǐ fù zhàng hé fǎn liú.

Feeding too rapidly will cause abdominal distension and regurgitation.

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Word Family of 腹

Words Containing This Character20
腹fùabdomen
腹部fùbùabdomen
腹泻fùxièdiarrhea腹瀉
腹腔abdominal cavity
腹痛bellyache
腹肌abdominal muscle
剖腹产Cesarean section剖腹產
空腹an empty stomach
小腹underbelly
剖腹to disembowel
心腹trusted aide
腹股沟groin (anatomy)腹股溝
腹地hinterland
腹膜peritoneum (anatomy)
满腹filled with滿腹
腹水ascites
捧腹大笑uproarious
推心置腹to trust completely
腹壁abdominal wall
大腹便便paunchy
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 腹

What does 腹部 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 腹

Common phrases include 腹痛 (fù tòng, abdominal pain) and 腹部 (fù bù, abdomen area).

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