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布 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
布
bù
to announce
HSK 6, nr, 5 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1729, Hard
布
bù
to spread
HSK 6, nr, 5 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1729, Hard
布
bù
cotton, linen, textiles; to announce, to declare; to spread
HSK 6, nr, 5 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1729, Hard
布
bù
to make known
HSK 6, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 巾, rank #1729, Hard
bù(bu4)bu T4
1to announce
2to spread
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March 24, 2026
布(佈)bù(bu4)
The character 布 (bù) primarily refers to cloth or textiles, such as cotton or linen. It can also mean to spread or announce, often used in contexts where information is disseminated. In a broader sense, it suggests the act of making something known or visible to others.
Strokes5Radical巾Frequency#1729DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, textiles have significant historical importance, often related to traditional clothing such as silk or cotton garments. The production and trade of cloth have played a vital role in Chinese economic history, symbolizing craftsmanship and cultural identity.
Memory tip
Imagine a large piece of cloth (布) being spread out across a table to display important information. The sound 'bù' can be remembered as 'boo,' as if you're playfully announcing something surprising as you reveal the fabric.
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AI study notes for 布
Quick Contrast
布 (bù, cloth) vs 纺 (fǎng, to spin or weave) — use 布 when referring to the material itself, while 纺 focuses on the process of making textiles.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 布, as it can easily be confused with other characters with similar sounds. It is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, but you will most commonly encounter it in written forms related to textiles or announcements.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 布 connects well with other vocabulary related to materials and communication. Students should focus on its various meanings and how it appears in different contexts, such as fabric-related phrases or expressions for announcing news.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 布 (bù) with other similar-sounding characters. For example, saying '布告' (bùgào) as 'bùgāo' is incorrect; the correct pronunciation emphasizes the fourth tone, which could lead to misunderstandings.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 布
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The character 布 (bù) primarily refers to cloth or textiles, such as cotton or linen. It can also mean to spread or announce, often used in contexts where information is disseminated. In a broader sense, it suggests the act of making something known or visible to others.
When to use 布
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 布, as it can easily be confused with other characters with similar sounds. It is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, but you will most commonly encounter it in written forms related to textiles or announcements.
布 or something close to it
布 (bù, cloth) vs 纺 (fǎng, to spin or weave) — use 布 when referring to the material itself, while 纺 focuses on the process of making textiles.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 布 (bù) with other similar-sounding characters. For example, saying '布告' (bùgào) as 'bùgāo' is incorrect; the correct pronunciation emphasizes the fourth tone, which could lead to misunderstandings.
Write 布
布
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Grammar patterns of 布
布 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.
The town of whitby was immortalised in Bram Stoker's famous Dracula story.
3
你每天至少得用10块尿布。
nǐ měi tiān zhìshǎo de yòng10 kuài niào bù。
You'll get through at least ten nappies a day.
4
肯尼亚的罗伯特·基布是800米决赛入围者中速度最快的选手.
kěn ní yà de luō bà tè· jī bù shì800 mǐ juésài rù wéi zhě zhōng sùdù zuì kuài de xuǎnshǒu.
Kenya's Robert Kibe was the fastest qualifier for the 800 metres final.
5
最终是什么让你离开萨拉热窝前往萨格勒布的？
zuìzhōng shì shénme ràng nǐ líkāi sà lā rè wō qiánwǎng sà gé lè bù de？
What was it ultimately that led you to leave Sarajevo for Zagreb?
6
爱沙尼亚议会已经通过了宣布共和国完全独立的决议。
ài Shā ní yà yìhuì yǐjīng tōngguò le xuānbù gònghéguó wánquán dúlì de juéyì。
The Estonian parliament has passed a resolution declaring the republic fully independent.
7
通货膨胀使得卢布变成了毫无价值的货币。
tōnghuòpéngzhàng shǐde lú bù biànchéng le háowú jiàzhí de huòbì。
Inflation has turned the rouble into a toytown currency.
8
创作这本书的想法来源于跟菲莉帕·布鲁斯特的谈话。
chuàngzuò zhè běn shū de xiǎngfǎ láiyuányú gēn fēi lì pà· bù Lǔ Sī tè de tánhuà。
The idea for this book grew out of conversations with Philippa Brewster.
9
这两张唱片还包含了布里顿两首不甚知名的声乐套曲。
zhè liǎng zhāng chàngpiàn hái bāohán le bù lǐ dùn liǎng shǒu bù shén zhīmíng de shēng lè tào qǔ。
The two discs also contain two of Britten's lesser-known song-cycles.
10
最近的一场雨把瀑布搅成了泥水漩涡。
zuìjìn de yī chǎng yǔ bǎ pùbù jiǎo chéng le ní shuǐ xuán guō。
The recent rain had churned up the waterfall into a muddy whirlpool.
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Word Family of 布
Compounds11
希xīto hope
怖bùterror
饰shìdecoration
钸būplutonium
咘bù
佈bùto spread, to publicize, to announce
抪bù
柨bù
鈽bùplutonium
鉓chì
飾shìto decorate, to adorn; ornament
Words containing this character20
宣布xuānbùto declare
公布gōngbùto announce公佈
布bùcloth
发布fābùto release發佈
分布fēnbùto scatter分佈
布什bùshíBush (name)
布置bùzhìto arrange佈置
布局bùjúarrangement佈局
新闻发布会xīnwénfābùhuìnews conference新聞發布會
发布会fābùhuìbriefing發佈會
布朗bùlǎngBrown (name)
颁布bānbùto issue頒布
布鲁克林bùlǔkèlínBrooklyn, borough of New York City布魯克林
布鲁斯bùlǔsīblues (music) (loanword)布魯斯
尿布niàobùdiaper
布莱恩bùlái’ēnBrian (name)布萊恩
布丁bùdīngpudding (loanword)
瀑布pùbùwaterfall
遍布biànbùto cover the whole (area)
布拉格bùlāgéPrague, capital of Czech Republic
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 布
What does 希 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 布
Common phrases that include 布 (bù) are 布告 (bùgào), meaning 'announcement,' and 布置 (bùzhì), which means 'to arrange' or 'to set up.' These phrases are frequently used in both formal and informal contexts.
Yes, 布 (bù) is used in modern Chinese, especially in contexts related to announcements and communication. It may also refer to fabric or cloth, but its usage in announcements is quite common in everyday language.
布 (bù) can mean cloth or fabric, but it also has meanings such as to announce or to spread. It is commonly used in contexts where something is being made known or distributed. In traditional Chinese, 布 is also a variant character used in various phrases related to fabric.
You can use 布 (bù) in sentences like '他在布告栏上布置了通知' (Tā zài bùgàolán shàng bùzhìle tōngzhī), which means 'He announced the notice on the bulletin board.' It is often used in contexts involving announcements or the distribution of information.
You can say '我买了新的布来做衣服' (Wǒ mǎile xīn de bù lái zuò yīfú), meaning 'I bought new cloth to make clothes.'
No, 布 can also refer to the act of spreading or announcing information, so it's versatile in usage.
Common phrases include '布告' (bùgào, notice) and '布置' (bùzhì, to arrange or set up).
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