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剖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
剖pōuto cut openHSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 刂, rank #23180, Very Hard
剖pōuto analyzeHSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 刂, rank #23180, Very Hard
剖pōuTaiwan pr. [pǒu]HSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 刂, rank #23180, Very Hard
剖pōuto bisect, to dissect, to sliceHSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 刂, rank #23180, Very Hard
剖pōuTaiwan pr. [pou3]HSK 7, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 刂, rank #23180, Very Hard
pōu(pou1) T1
  1. 1to cut open
  2. 2to analyze
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

剖pōu(pou1)

The character 剖 (pōu) means to cut open, dissect, or analyze something thoroughly. It is commonly used in contexts involving detailed examination, whether in a scientific, medical, or literary sense, indicating a deeper understanding or exploration of a subject.

Strokes10Radical刂Frequency#23180DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese medicine, the concept of 剖 is significant as it relates to the dissection of anatomy for understanding health. This reflects the historical importance of detailed study and examination in traditional Chinese medical practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a chef (the radical 刀, meaning knife) carefully cutting open a fruit to analyze its inner structure. The sound 'pōu' can remind you of 'poaching', as in poaching an egg where you must cut through the shell to see the insides.

Meanings of 剖

pōu(pou1)
1to cut open
2to analyze
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 剖

剖Simplified
10Strokes
刂Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#23180Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 剖

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Podcast: 剖

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AI Study Notes for 剖

Quick Contrast

剖 (pōu) vs 切 (qiē) — use 剖 when emphasizing a thorough analysis or dissection, while 切 focuses on the act of cutting without the analytical nuance.

Usage Notes

This word is often used in formal contexts, particularly in academic or analytical discussions. Be cautious with tone; the character has a fourth tone when pronounced as 'pǒu' in Taiwan, which can lead to confusion. Common collocations include 剖析 (pōuxī, to analyze) and 剖面 (pōumiàn, cross-section).

HSK Study Tips

Though not included in the HSK levels, understanding 剖 can enhance your vocabulary for discussing analysis, which is relevant for HSK 5 learners. Focus on its usage in academic writing and discussions to see how it connects with words like 分析 (fēnxī, to analyze).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 剖 with 切, using 剖 when they simply mean to cut something, as in '我想剖这个苹果' instead of '我想切这个苹果'. Correctly, you would use 切, since you are not analyzing the apple.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 剖

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Etymology of 剖

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

Phonosemantic compound. 刂 represents the meaning and 咅 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

knife

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 剖

Phonosemantic compound. 刂 represents the meaning and 咅 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half刂 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half咅 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayknife
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 剖? 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 剖?

Decomposition of 剖

IDS Structure⿰咅刂
剖Full Character
=
咅pou3
left
刂dao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 剖?

How to say to cut open in Chinese

“to cut open” in Chinese is剖pōu

The character 剖 (pōu) means to cut open, dissect, or analyze something thoroughly. It is commonly used in contexts involving detailed examination, whether in a scientific, medical, or literary sense, indicating a deeper understanding or exploration of a subject.

When to use 剖

This word is often used in formal contexts, particularly in academic or analytical discussions. Be cautious with tone; the character has a fourth tone when pronounced as 'pǒu' in Taiwan, which can lead to confusion. Common collocations include 剖析 (pōuxī, to analyze) and 剖面 (pōumiàn, cross-section).

剖 or something close to it

剖 (pōu) vs 切 (qiē) — use 剖 when emphasizing a thorough analysis or dissection, while 切 focuses on the act of cutting without the analytical nuance.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 剖 with 切, using 剖 when they simply mean to cut something, as in '我想剖这个苹果' instead of '我想切这个苹果'. Correctly, you would use 切, since you are not analyzing the apple.

Write 剖

剖

Practice writing 剖 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 剖

剖 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 5 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 5

Complete the Sentence

这是一篇____析民族主义的让人不安的文章。

This was a troubling essay on the anatomy of nationhood.

Example Sentences for 剖 (7)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这是一篇剖析民族主义的让人不安的文章。

zhè shì yī piān pōu xī mín zú zhǔ yì de ràng rén bù ān de wén zhāng。

This was a troubling essay on the anatomy of nationhood.
2
那婴儿是施行剖宫产手术出生的。

nà yīng ér shì shī háng pōu gōng chǎn shǒu shù chū shēng de。

The baby was born by Caesarean section.
3
研究人员需要更多的供解剖用的尸体。

yán jiū rén yuán xū yào gēng duō de gōng jiě pōu yòng de shī tǐ。

Researchers need a growing supply of corpses for dissection.
4
本图所示为蝗虫的纵剖面.

běn tú suǒ shì wéi huáng chóng de zòng pōu miàn.

This illustration shows a vertical section through the locust.
5
解剖生理学系

jiě pōu shēng lǐ xué xì

the department of anatomy and physiology
6
堆积的斜方辉石几乎自下而上地分布在整个剖面中.

duī jī de xié fāng huī shí jī hū zì xià ér shàng dì fēn bù zài zhěng gè pōu miàn zhōng.

Cumulate orthopyroxene occurs almost from top to bottom of the section.
7
该杂志致力于剖析自由主义的不足之处。

gāi zá zhì zhì lì yú pōu xī zì yóu zhǔ yì de bù zú zhī chǔ。

The magazine is devoted to anato-mizing the inadequacies of liberalism.

Cultural Notes for 剖

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, while dissection is also an academic practice, it often carries a more clinical or even morbid connotation, whereas in Chinese culture, it can be viewed as a necessary step for holistic understanding.

Word Family of 剖

Words Containing This Character16
解剖jiěpōuto analyze
剖pōuto cut open
剖析to analyze
剖腹to disembowel
解剖学anatomy解剖學
剖腹产Cesarean section剖腹產
剖面profile
剖白to explain oneself
剖宫产Cesarean section剖宮產
解剖麻雀lit. to dissect a sparrow; fig. a preliminary test on a small sample
剖解to dissect
剖视to analyze剖視
横剖面horizontal section橫剖面
纵剖面vertical section縱剖面
剖视图section view剖視圖
剖肝沥胆to be completely honest and sincere (idiom)剖肝瀝膽
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 解剖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 剖

While both mean to cut, 剖 emphasizes cutting open for analysis, while 切 simply means to slice or cut.

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