TraceHanzi

剝 meaning and stroke order

bō

To peel, to skin; to exploit

10 strokesRadical 刂Simplified 剥
Strokes10
Pinyinbō
ToneTone 1
Frequency#5,203
Printable worksheet

How to write 剝, stroke by stroke

10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10

Meaning of 剝

Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.

bāofirst tone (high and level)
  1. to peel
  2. to skin
  3. to shell
  4. to shuck
bōfirst tone (high and level)
  1. to peel
  2. to skin
  3. to flay
  4. to shuck

How 剝 is built

Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Knife.

lùto carve wood+dāoknife

刂 gives the meaning and 彔 hints at the sound.

Radical: 刂 (knife), shared by 71 characters on this site.

How to remember 剝

The knife radical 刂 on the right tells you this character is about cutting, and 彔 on the left gives the sound. Picture a knife sliding under skin or peel to strip it away.

In everyday speech, peeling fruit or shelling nuts is usually read bāo, as in 剥皮 (bāopí). In formal compounds like 剥削 (bōxuē, to exploit) and 剥夺 (bōduó, to deprive), it is read bō. Example: 我帮你剥橘子。(Wǒ bāng nǐ bāo júzi.) I will peel the tangerine for you.

Common mistake: Learners often read every instance as bō. In casual phrases about peeling food, such as 剥花生 (bāo huāshēng, to shell peanuts), native speakers say bāo. Also do not confuse the phonetic 彔 with 录 (lù), which looks similar but is a different character.

Common words with 剝

Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.

WordPinyinMeaningLevel
剝奪bōduóto deprive; to expropriateHSK 7-9
剝削bōxuēto exploit; exploitationHSK 7-9
剝離bōlíto peel; to strip
剝皮bāopíto skin; to flay; to peel; (fig.) (coll.) to haul (sb) over the coals

Questions about 剝

How many strokes are in 剝?

剝 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.

What does 剝 mean?

剝 (bō) means to peel, to skin; to exploit. A common word with it is 剥夺 (bōduó), meaning "to deprive; to expropriate".

How do you pronounce 剝?

剝 is pronounced bō, in the first tone (high and level).

What is the radical of 剝?

The radical of 剝 is 刂, which carries the idea of "knife". Dictionaries list 剝 under this radical.

What is the simplified form of 剝?

剝 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 剥, used in mainland China and Singapore.

What is the difference between 剥 and 削 when peeling fruit?

剥 (bāo) means peeling by hand, like a banana or tangerine. 削 (xiāo) means peeling with a knife, like an apple: 削苹果 (xiāo píngguǒ).

Is 剝 the same character as 剥?

Yes. 剝 is the traditional form and 剥 is the simplified form used in mainland China. They have the same readings and meanings.