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March 24, 2026
爆bào(bao4)
The character 爆 (bào) primarily means to explode or burst. It can also refer to the action of quick frying or boiling food, where intense heat causes rapid cooking. This word is commonly used in contexts related to cooking, fireworks, or any sudden, forceful occurrence.
Strokes19Radical火Frequency#2374DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 'exploding' is not only relevant in cooking but also during celebrations like the Lunar New Year, where firecrackers are used to ward off evil spirits. This connection highlights the festive nature of explosions in daily life.
Memory Tip
Imagine a balloon (representing 爆) filled with air that suddenly bursts with a loud 'pop!' The visual of the balloon exploding connects the character's meaning of 'to burst' with its shape, where the top part resembles the bursting action, and the 'b' sound in 'bào' mimics the sound of an explosion.
Meanings of 爆
bào(bao4)
1to explode or burst
2to quick fry or quick boil
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 爆
爆Simplified
19Strokes
火Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2374Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 爆
Podcast: 爆
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AI Study Notes for 爆
Quick Contrast
炸 (zhà) — use 爆 (bào) when emphasizing a sudden explosion or burst, while 炸 (zhà) specifically refers to the cooking method of deep-frying.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 爆 with similar characters like 破 (pò), which means 'to break.' 爆 can be used in both informal and formal contexts, but is often found in culinary discussions or descriptions of explosions. Remember to use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it as 'pō' could lead to misunderstandings.
HSK Study Tips
Although 爆 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with Level 3 and 4 words related to cooking and actions, such as 煮 (zhǔ - to boil) and 烧 (shāo - to cook). Focus on its usage in cooking contexts and phrases to build a practical vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 爆 with the character 炸 (zhà), which also means 'to fry' or 'to explode' but is used differently in culinary contexts. For example, saying '我想爆鱼' (wǒ xiǎng bào yú) instead of '我想炸鱼' (wǒ xiǎng zhà yú) is incorrect, as 炸 is the appropriate term for frying fish.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 爆
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Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 暴 represents the sound.
1The giveawayA violent 暴 flame 火; 暴 also provides the pronunciation
2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 爆? 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 爆?
Decomposition of 爆
IDS Structure⿰火暴
爆Full Character
=
火Huo3
left
暴Bao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 爆?
How to say to explode or burst in Chinese
“to explode or burst” in Chinese is爆bào
The character 爆 (bào) primarily means to explode or burst. It can also refer to the action of quick frying or boiling food, where intense heat causes rapid cooking. This word is commonly used in contexts related to cooking, fireworks, or any sudden, forceful occurrence.
When to use 爆
Be careful not to confuse 爆 with similar characters like 破 (pò), which means 'to break.' 爆 can be used in both informal and formal contexts, but is often found in culinary discussions or descriptions of explosions. Remember to use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it as 'pō' could lead to misunderstandings.
爆 or something close to it
炸 (zhà) — use 爆 (bào) when emphasizing a sudden explosion or burst, while 炸 (zhà) specifically refers to the cooking method of deep-frying.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 爆 with the character 炸 (zhà), which also means 'to fry' or 'to explode' but is used differently in culinary contexts. For example, saying '我想爆鱼' (wǒ xiǎng bào yú) instead of '我想炸鱼' (wǒ xiǎng zhà yú) is incorrect, as 炸 is the appropriate term for frying fish.
Write 爆
爆
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Practice writing 爆 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 爆
爆 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 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.
