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刨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
bàocarpenter's plane; plane, levelHSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
bàoto digHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
bàoto plane (woodwork)HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
bàoto excavateHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
bàoto shave offHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
bào(coll.) to excludeHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
bàoto peel (with a potato peeler etc)HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
bàonot to countHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
bàoto deductHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
bàoto subtractHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
páocarpenter's plane; plane, levelHSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
páoto digHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
páoto plane (woodwork)HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
páoto excavateHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
páoto shave offHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
páo(coll.) to excludeHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
páoto peel (with a potato peeler etc)HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
páonot to countHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
páoto deductHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
páoto subtractHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 刂, rank #18253, Hard
bào(bao4)
primary
T4
  1. 1carpenter's plane; plane, level
  2. 2to dig
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
bào(bao4)

The character 刨 (bào) primarily means 'to plane' or 'to shave off,' typically referring to a carpenter's tool used for smoothing wood. It can also mean 'to excavate' or 'to dig' in a broader context, and has colloquial uses such as 'to exclude' or 'to deduct' from something. This versatility makes it applicable in both construction and mathematical contexts.

Strokes7RadicalFrequency#18253DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese woodworking, the 刨 is an essential tool, reflecting the importance of craftsmanship and precision in Chinese culture. This character embodies the skill and artistry involved in creating wooden structures and furniture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a carpenter using a tool (the 刨) to shave off the rough edges of a wooden plank, making it smooth and level. The left component 刀 (dāo), meaning 'knife,' reminds you of the cutting action involved, while the right component indicates a motion of scraping or digging, linking to its meaning of excavation.

Meanings of 刨

bào(bao4)
primary
1carpenter's plane; plane, level
2to dig
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 刨

Simplified
7Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedBCTCEFRC2

Podcast: 刨

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 刨

Quick Contrast

刨 (bào) vs 挖 (wā) — use 刨 when referring to planing or shaving off material, while 挖 specifically means to dig or excavate.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a carpenter using a tool (the 刨) to shave off the rough edges of a wooden plank, making it smooth and level. The left component 刀 (dāo), meaning 'knife,' reminds you of the cutting action involved, while the right component indicates a motion of scraping or digging, linking to its meaning of excavation.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone of 刨, as incorrect pronunciation might confuse it with other similar-sounding words. It's commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in carpentry and construction. A common collocation is 刨木 (bào mù), meaning 'to plane wood.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 刨 is not part of the standard HSK curriculum, it relates well to other woodworking terms and tools, which can enhance vocabulary in practical contexts. Focus on its applications in both carpentry and mathematics to solidify understanding.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese woodworking, the 刨 is an essential tool, reflecting the importance of craftsmanship and precision in Chinese culture. This character embodies the skill and artistry involved in creating wooden structures and furniture.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 刨 with other characters related to cutting, such as 削 (xuē), which means 'to peel' or 'to shave.' For example, saying 刨苹果 (bào píngguǒ) to mean 'to peel an apple' is incorrect; the correct term is 削苹果 (xuē píngguǒ).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 刨

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Etymology of 刨

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

Phonosemantic compound. 刂 represents the meaning and 包 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鑤.

Memory Hint

knife

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 刨?

Decomposition of 刨

IDS Structure⿰包刂
Full Character
=
Bao1
left
dao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 刨?

Write 刨

Practice writing 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 刨

刨 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 10 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

Complete the Sentence

她看着他____平一块胡桃木板。

She watches him plane the surface of a walnut board.

Example Sentences for 刨 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
她看着他刨平一块胡桃木板。

tā kàn zháo tā páo píng yī kuài hú táo mù bǎn。

She watches him plane the surface of a walnut board.
2
这块木头的4个角刨过后就变小了。

zhè kuài mù tóu de4 4 gè jiǎo páo guò hòu jiù biàn xiǎo。

The piece was reduced in size by planing down the four corners.
3
这张桌子只不过是在底座上安了一块圆形刨花板。

zhè zhāng zhuō zǐ zhī bù guò shì zài dǐ zuò shàng ān le yī kuài yuán xíng páo huā bǎn。

The table is simply a chipboard circle on a base.
4
这列火车, 刨去行李车和邮车,有20节车箱.

zhè liè huǒ chē, , páo qù háng lǐ chē hé yóu, chē20 , yǒu 20.

The train has twenty cars , the baggage and mail ones excluded.
5
他刨平了这块木板.

tā páo píng le zhè kuài mù bǎn.

He planed the board smooth.
6
那位木工用刨子刨平了一块木板.

nà wèi mù gōng yòng páo zǐ páo píng le yī kuài mù bǎn.

The carpenter evened a board with a plane.
7
每根木材都被刨平了,切割成一定尺寸,并涂上了雪松防腐剂。

měi gēn mù cái dū bèi páo píng le, , qiē gē chéng yī dìng chǐ, cùn , bìng tú shàng le xuě sōng fáng。

Every piece of timber was planed, cut to size and stained with cedar preservative.
8
我又一次把表面刨平。

wǒ yòu yī cì bǎ biǎo miàn páo píng。

Again I planed the surface flush.
9
木匠把木板的粗角刨平.

mù jiàng bǎ mù bǎn de cū jiǎo páo píng.

The carpenter shaved off the rough corners of the plank.
10
我将原木放到了地上,刨掉了树皮。

wǒ jiāng yuán mù fàng dào le dì shàng, , páo diào le shù。

I set the log on the ground and shaved off the bark.

Cultural Notes for 刨

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese woodworking, the 刨 is an essential tool, reflecting the importance of craftsmanship and precision in Chinese culture. This character embodies the skill and artistry involved in creating wooden structures and furniture.

Word Family of 刨

Words Containing This Character10
bàoto dig
刨根问底to dig up roots and inquire at the base (idiom); to get to the bottom of sth刨根問底
刨冰shaved or crushed ice dessert or beverage
刨子plane
刨花板particle board
刨花wood shavings
刨根lit. to dig up the root
刨刀planing tool
狗刨dog paddle (swimming style)
刨根儿lit. to dig up the root刨根兒
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 刨 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 刨

It is mainly used to refer to the action of planing or shaving wood.