撲 meaning and stroke order
To attack, to beat, to hit, to strike
How to write 撲, stroke by stroke
15 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 撲
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to throw oneself at
- to pounce on
- to devote one's energies
- to flap
- to flutter
- to dab
How 撲 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 菐 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 撲
The hand radical 扌 on the left shows the action is done with your hands, and 菐 on the right gives the sound pū. Picture someone throwing their hands forward as they pounce on something.
撲 is the traditional form of 扑 (pū), so in mainland texts you will usually see 扑, while 撲 appears in Taiwan and Hong Kong. It means to pounce on, rush at, or flap, and shows up in words like 撲克 (pūkè, playing cards) and 撲滅 (pūmiè, to put out). Example: 小貓撲向球。(Xiǎo māo pū xiàng qiú.) The kitten pounced on the ball.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 撲 with 樸 (pǔ, plain, simple), which shares the same right side but uses the tree radical 木 and has a third tone. Remember that 撲 is a hand action and is first tone, pū.
Common words with 撲
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 撲克 | pūkè | poker (game) (loanword); playing cards | HSK 7-9 |
| 紅撲撲 | hóngpūpū | red; rosy | HSK 7-9 |
| 撲面而來 | pūmiàn-érlái | lit. sth hits one in the face; directly in one's face | HSK 7-9 |
| 撲克牌 | pūkèpái | poker (card game); playing card | |
| 撲滅 | pūmiè | to eradicate; to extinguish | |
| 撲通 | pūtōng | (onom.) sound of object falling into water; plop | |
| 相撲 | xiāngpū | sumo wrestling; also pr. [xiang4 pu1] |
Questions about 撲
How many strokes are in 撲?
撲 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 撲 mean?
撲 (pū) means to attack, to beat, to hit, to strike. A common word with it is 扑克 (pūkè), meaning "poker (game) (loanword); playing cards".
How do you pronounce 撲?
撲 is pronounced pū, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 撲?
The radical of 撲 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 撲 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 撲?
撲 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 扑, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do you say playing cards or poker with 撲?
Use 撲克 (pūkè) or 撲克牌 (pūkèpái). The word is a loanword from English poker, and 撲 here is used for its sound.
What does 撲通 mean?
撲通 (pūtōng) is a sound word for something heavy falling into water, like plop or splash. It can also describe a heart pounding, as in 心撲通撲通地跳 (xīn pūtōng pūtōng de tiào).