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朴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
朴piáoCeltis sinensis var. japonicaHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴piáoplain and simpleHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴piáoKorean surname 박 (Park, Pak, or Bak)HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴piáoTaiwan pr. [pú]HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴piáoalso pr. [Pú]HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴piáoplain, simple; sincere; surnameHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴piáoKorean surname (Park, Pak, or Bak)HSK 7, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴piáoTaiwan pr. [pu2]HSK 7, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴piáoalso pr. [Pu2]HSK 7, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴piáosurname PiaoHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pòCeltis sinensis var. japonicaHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pòplain and simpleHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pòKorean surname 박 (Park, Pak, or Bak)HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pòTaiwan pr. [pú]HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pòalso pr. [Pú]HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pòplain, simple; sincere; surnameHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pòKorean surname (Park, Pak, or Bak)HSK 7, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pòTaiwan pr. [pu2]HSK 7, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pòalso pr. [Pu2]HSK 7, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pòsurname PiaoHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pǔCeltis sinensis var. japonicaHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pǔplain and simpleHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pǔKorean surname 박 (Park, Pak, or Bak)HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pǔTaiwan pr. [pú]HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pǔalso pr. [Pú]HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pǔplain, simple; sincere; surnameHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pǔKorean surname (Park, Pak, or Bak)HSK 7, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pǔTaiwan pr. [pu2]HSK 7, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pǔalso pr. [Pu2]HSK 7, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
朴pǔsurname PiaoHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 木, rank #5567, Very Hard
piáo(Piao2)
primary
 T2
  1. 1Celtis sinensis var. japonica
  2. 2plain and simple
Also a Chinese surname, Piao — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

朴(樸)piáo(Piao2)

The character 朴 (pǔ) typically means 'plain' or 'simple', and it can also refer to a type of tree known as Celtis sinensis var. japonica. It is used in both personal names and in various contexts to describe things that are straightforward or unadorned.

Strokes6Radical木Frequency#5567DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, simplicity is often valued, reflecting a philosophy that appreciates naturalness and authenticity. The concept of being '朴' is often associated with wisdom and a return to simpler ways.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 朴 as a tree (the bottom part resembles a tree trunk) that grows simply without any decorations. Imagine a plain, unadorned tree in a serene forest, representing the essence of simplicity.

Meanings of 朴

piáo(Piao2)
primary
1Celtis sinensis var. japonica
2plain and simple
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 朴

朴Simplified
樸Traditional
6Strokes
木Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#5567Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 朴

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Podcast: 朴

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 朴

Quick Contrast

朴 (pǔ) vs 简 (jiǎn) — use 朴 for 'plain' in a more natural, unembellished sense, while 简 emphasizes simplicity in terms of ease or lack of complexity.

Usage Notes

朴 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but it carries a more literary or poetic tone. Common collocations include 朴素 (pǔsù), meaning 'simple' or 'unadorned'. Be careful with the pronunciation; it can be confused with other characters like 浦 (pǔ), which has a different meaning.

HSK Study Tips

朴 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, but understanding it can enhance your comprehension of more advanced texts that discuss simplicity or nature. Focus on its usage in phrases and its relationship to other words like 朴素 (pǔsù).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 朴 with other similar-sounding characters, which can lead to incorrect meanings. For instance, saying '我喜欢朴' (I like plain) instead of '我喜欢简单' (I like simple) can lead to misunderstanding.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 朴

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Etymology of 朴

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

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 卜 represents the sound. Simplified form of 樸.

Memory Hint

tree

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 朴

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 卜 represents the sound. Simplified form of 樸.

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half卜 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaytree
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 朴? 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 朴?

Decomposition of 朴

IDS Structure⿰木卜
朴Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
卜—
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 朴?

How to say Celtis sinensis var. japonica in Chinese

“Celtis sinensis var. japonica” in Chinese is朴piáo

The character 朴 (pǔ) typically means 'plain' or 'simple', and it can also refer to a type of tree known as Celtis sinensis var. japonica. It is used in both personal names and in various contexts to describe things that are straightforward or unadorned.

When to use 朴

朴 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but it carries a more literary or poetic tone. Common collocations include 朴素 (pǔsù), meaning 'simple' or 'unadorned'. Be careful with the pronunciation; it can be confused with other characters like 浦 (pǔ), which has a different meaning.

朴 or something close to it

朴 (pǔ) vs 简 (jiǎn) — use 朴 for 'plain' in a more natural, unembellished sense, while 简 emphasizes simplicity in terms of ease or lack of complexity.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 朴 with other similar-sounding characters, which can lead to incorrect meanings. For instance, saying '我喜欢朴' (I like plain) instead of '我喜欢简单' (I like simple) can lead to misunderstanding.

Write 朴

朴

Practice writing 朴 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 朴

朴 carries 10 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

他穿着简____，过着平静的家庭生活。

He dressed simply and led a quiet family life.

Example Sentences for 朴 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他穿着简朴，过着平静的家庭生活。

tā chuān zháo jiǎn pǔ， ， guò zháo píng jìng de jiā tíng shēng。

He dressed simply and led a quiet family life.
2
劳森写得很好：英文通俗易懂，朴实无华又不矫揉造作。

láo sēn xiě dé hěn hǎo： ： yīng wén tōng sú yì， dǒng ， pǔ shí wú huá yòu bù jiǎo róu。

Lawson writes so well: in plain English, without fuss or affectation.
3
作为喜剧界的常青树——他的简单淳朴与自然大方无人能及。

zuò wéi xǐ jù jiè de cháng qīng shù—— —— tā de jiǎn dān chún pǔ yǔ zì rán dà fāng wú rén néng。

A timeless comic actor—his simplicity and his apparent ease are matchless.
4
房间仍然很简朴，四面都是饰有圆点的绿色空墙。

fáng jiān réng rán hěn jiǎn pǔ， ， sì miàn dū shì shì yǒu yuán diǎn de lǜ sè kōng。

The room remains simple with bare, stippled green walls.
5
她脱下了朴素的套装，换上了一身古怪的少女装。

tā tuō xià le pǔ sù de tào zhuāng， ， huàn shàng le yī shēn gǔ guài de shǎo nǚ。

She swapped her plain suit for an absurdly girlie dress.
6
尽管张东家境比较富裕, 但是他的穿着却十分朴素.

jìn guǎn zhāng dōng jiā jìng bǐ jiào fù yù, , dàn shì tā de chuān zháo què shí fēn pǔ.

Though Zhang Dong 's family is wealthy, he is usually simply dressed.
7
他个子很高，衣着朴素。

tā gè zǐ hěn gāo， ， yī zháo pǔ。

He was very tall and plainly dressed.
8
用镶边、系带和流苏装饰朴素的床罩和窗帘。

yòng xiāng biān、 、 xì dài hé liú sū zhuāng shì pǔ sù de chuáng zhào hé chuāng。

Embellish basic covers and curtains with borders, ties and fringing.
9
他身穿一件朴素的制服，上面满是泥点。

tā shēn chuān yī jiàn pǔ sù de zhì fú， ， shàng miàn mǎn shì ní。

He was attired in a plain, mud-flecked uniform.
10
他们那种质朴而富有恬静的泰然自若的神气,好象具有一种苏格拉底的智慧.

tā mén nà zhǒng zhì pǔ ér fù yǒu tián jìng de tài rán zì ruò de shén qì, , hǎo xiàng jù yǒu yī zhǒng sū gé lā dǐ de zhì.

Their calm self - collectedness of simplicity seems a Socratis wisdom.

Cultural Notes for 朴

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

While Western cultures may emphasize complexity and sophistication, Chinese culture often values plainness and simplicity as a form of beauty and honesty.

Word Family of 朴

Compounds1
烞
Words Containing This Character12
朴piáoplain and simple樸
朴素pǔsùunadorned樸素
朴实pǔshíplain樸實
质朴zhìpǔsimple質樸
古朴gǔpǔsimple and unadorned (of art, architecture etc)古樸
淳朴simple and honest淳樸
纯朴chúnpǔsimple and honest純樸
简朴plain簡樸
朴智星Park Ji-sung (1981-), South Korean former footballer, played for Manchester United (2005-2012)
艰苦朴素leading a plain, hardworking life (idiom)艱苦樸素
俭朴plain and unadorned儉朴
朴正熙Park Chung-Hee (1917-1979), South Korean military man and dictator, president 1963-1979, influential in developing Korean industry, murdered by his bodyguard
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 朴 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 朴

The standard pronunciation is pǔ, but in some contexts, it can also be pronounced as piáo.

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