報 meaning and stroke order
To announce, to report; newspaper; payback, revenge
How to write 報, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 報
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to report; to inform; to announce
- to respond; to reply
- to sign up for; to register for (abbr. for 報名|报名[bao4 ming2])
- to reward; to recompense
- to take revenge; to retaliate
- newspaper
How 報 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A hand 幸 cuffing 又 a criminal 卩, representing sentencing.
Radical: 土 (soil), shared by 183 characters on this site.
How to remember 報
On the left is 幸, pictured as handcuffs. On the right, a hand 又 holds a kneeling person 卩. Together they show a criminal being sentenced, and the sentence is announced, or reported, to everyone.
報 (bào) is the traditional form of 报 and appears in many words about reporting and news, such as 報紙 (bàozhǐ, newspaper) and 報告 (bàogào, report). It is also short for 報名 (bàomíng), meaning to sign up for something. Example: 我報了一個中文班。(Wǒ bào le yí gè Zhōngwén bān.) I signed up for a Chinese class.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 報道 (bàodào, to report news) and 報到 (bàodào, to check in or report for duty). They sound identical, so use 道 for news and 到 for physically showing up.
Common words with 報
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 報紙 | bàozhǐ | newspaper; newsprint | HSK 2 |
| 報名 | bàomíng | to sign up; to enter one's name | HSK 2 |
| 日報 | rìbào | daily newspaper | HSK 2 |
| 晚報 | wǎnbào | evening newspaper; (in a newspaper's name) Evening News | HSK 2 |
| 報告 | bàogào | to inform; to report | HSK 3 |
| 報道 | bàodào | to report (news); report | HSK 3 |
| 報到 | bàodào | to report for duty; to check in | HSK 3 |
| 預報 | yùbào | forecast | HSK 3 |
| 報警 | bàojǐng | to sound an alarm; to report sth to the police | HSK 5 |
| 回報 | huíbào | (in) return; reciprocation | HSK 5 |
| 報答 | bàodá | to repay; to requite | HSK 5 |
| 海報 | hǎibào | poster; playbill | HSK 6 |
| 通報 | tōngbào | to inform; to notify | HSK 6 |
| 報刊 | bàokān | newspapers and periodicals; the press | HSK 6 |
Questions about 報
How many strokes are in 報?
報 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 報 mean?
報 (bào) means to announce, to report; newspaper; payback, revenge. A common word with it is 报纸 (bàozhǐ), meaning "newspaper; newsprint".
How do you pronounce 報?
報 is pronounced bào, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 報?
The radical of 報 is 土, which carries the idea of "soil". Dictionaries list 報 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 報?
報 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 报, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How does 報 mean both report and revenge?
The core idea is giving something back in response. You can respond with information (報告, to report), with gratitude (報答 bàodá, to repay kindness), or with harm (報仇 bàochóu, to take revenge).
Is 報 the same character as 报?
Yes. 報 is the traditional form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and 报 is the simplified form used in mainland China. The pronunciation and meanings are the same.