HanziGuru.剥 · bāo
剥
bāo[bao1]Tone 1

to peel

HSK 7
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剝
Multiple Readings (多音字):
Guru Deep Dive

English · to peel

Cached lesson
1 / 1
Topology:Left-right
Strokes:10
Writing Balance Rule: The left side (刂) is narrow and vertical, while the right side (蔌/彔 component) is broader and taller. Keep the vertical knife radical on the left compact so it doesn't crowd the right section.
Simplification Logic: The traditional form 剝 features the complex component 彔 combined with 刂. In simplified Chinese, the radical and structure were streamlined for easier writing.
1. Meaning

to peel, to skin, to shell, to shuck

to fleece, to extortto strip off, to divest
VerbNeutral#action#kitchen#nature
Sample Usage
  • 剥香蕉
    bāo xiāngjiāo
    to peel a banana
  • 剥皮
    bāo pí
    to skin, to peel
2. Sound
/[pɑʊ̯⁵⁵]/Tone: 55
剥
bāobao1
++
¯(55)
=bāo
Build the syllable
Step-by-step blending
bao
Tone mark placement: Tone mark sits on "a" per main-vowel priority (a > e > o; in -iu/-ui the mark takes the second vowel).
Say it like:“bow”ExactTone pitch cue:flat, high
Key difference: —
Initial Consonant
b
Type: Unaspirated Bilabial
Sounds like: b sound in English 'boy'
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: No burst of air. A tissue in front of lips should stay still.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Both lips press together lightly and release with voice, no burst of air.
Final Rhyme
ao
Vowel Group: -a vowel group
Sounds like: -ao rhymes with 'ow' in cow, but starts with a clearer 'ah' sound.
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'ow'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T1 (55)
1st Tone (High-Flat)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 stays flat and high like a sustained musical note at the top of your vocal range.
👂
Listening trap: Confusing the first tone bāo with bǎo (third tone, dipping) or bào (fourth tone, falling).
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A high, flat, steady hand gesture held high in the air, matching a flat musical note.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 10 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left side (刂) is narrow and vertical, while the right side (蔌/彔 component) is broader and taller. Keep the vertical knife radical on the left compact so it doesn't crowd the right section.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 剝 features the complex component 彔 combined with 刂. In simplified Chinese, the radical and structure were streamlined for easier writing.

4. Components

Radical 刂 · Knife Radical (knife, cutting instrument, blade)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 刂 (Indicates cutting, slicing, or stripping away with a blade.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 彔 (original sound: lù / bāo)

A knife (刂) is used to carve or strip away layers from a tree trunk or animal hide (represented by the right-hand structure), meaning to peel or skin.

  • 刂 Knife (cutting action)
  • 彔 Phonetic and structural base representing peeling or carving
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally formed by combining a knife symbol (刂) with a phonetic and pictorial element showing the act of stripping bark or skin off an object.

Semantic Evolution: From the literal physical action of cutting skin or peeling bark off wood, it generalized to peeling fruit, shelling nuts, and metaphorically fleeces or stripping away rights.

  • In classical texts, it was often used interchangeably with characters meaning to flay or extort.
6. Sinosphere
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: ハク / Kun: はぐ, はがす
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

You use a sharp knife (刂) to carefully PEEL (bāo) the tough outer skin off a giant tree trunk.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
录
lùto carve wood / record / registerPhonetic Core (声旁)
绿
lùgreen+ 纟 (silk)
碌
liùused in 碌碡 and also means busy or hardworking (Taiwan pr. lu4)+ 石 (stone)
氯
lǜchlorine (chemistry)+ 气 (air)
Explore this family →
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
录(lù)
录 means record and lacks the cutting knife radical (刂) found on the left of 剥.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
吃橘子之前，先要把皮[___]掉。
Clue: bāo
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the pronunciation tone: using third tone (bǎo) or fourth tone (bào) instead of the flat first tone (bāo).

Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see 剥, what action does it describe?
Production: How do you write the verb 'to peel' (bāo) using a knife radical?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

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