爆 meaning and stroke order
To explode; to burst; to stir-fry briefly; to quick-boil
How to write 爆, stroke by stroke
19 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 爆
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to explode; to burst
- to stir-fry briefly; to quick-boil
How 爆 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A violent 暴 flame 火; 暴 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 火 (fire), shared by 128 characters on this site.
How to remember 爆
爆 puts fire 火 next to 暴 (bào, violent). A violent flame bursts and explodes, and 暴 also gives the sound bào.
爆 appears mostly in compounds like 爆炸 (bàozhà, explode), 爆发 (bàofā, break out) and 爆满 (bàomǎn, packed full). In cooking it means a quick, high-heat stir-fry, as in dishes named 葱爆 (cōngbào). Example: 电影院爆满了。(Diànyǐngyuàn bàomǎn le.) The cinema was packed.
Common mistake: Learners often write 暴 when they mean 爆, since both are bào. Use 爆 with the fire radical for physical bursting or exploding, as in 爆炸, and 暴 for violence or force, as in 暴力 (bàolì, violence).
Common words with 爆
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 爆炸 | bàozhà | explosion; to explode | HSK 6 |
| 爆发 | bàofā | to break out; to erupt; to explode; to burst out | HSK 6 |
| 爆满 | bàomǎn | filled to capacity (of theater, stadium, gymnasium etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 爆竹 | bàozhú | firecracker | HSK 7-9 |
| 爆冷门 | bào lěngmén | an upset (esp. in sports); unexpected turn of events | HSK 7-9 |
| 引爆 | yǐnbào | to ignite; to detonate | |
| 打爆 | dǎbào | to blow out; to blow off | |
| 爆米花 | bàomǐhuā | puffed rice; popcorn | |
| 爆破 | bàopò | to blow up; to demolish (using explosives) | |
| 火爆 | huǒbào | fiery (temper); popular | |
| 爆裂 | bàoliè | to rupture; to burst | |
| 爆头 | bàotóu | (neologism) (slang) (often used in video gaming) to shoot sb in the head; headshot | |
| 爆料 | bàoliào | to reveal inside or previously undisclosed information; revelation; leak; tip-off | |
| 爆炸性 | bàozhàxìng | explosive; fig. shocking |
爆 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 爆
How many strokes are in 爆?
爆 is written with 19 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 爆 mean?
爆 (bào) means to explode; to burst; to stir-fry briefly; to quick-boil. A common word with it is 爆炸 (bàozhà), meaning "explosion; to explode".
How do you pronounce 爆?
爆 is pronounced bào, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 爆?
The radical of 爆 is 火, which carries the idea of "fire". Dictionaries list 爆 under this radical.
Is 爆 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 爆 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 爆炸 and 爆发?
爆炸 (bàozhà) is a physical explosion, like a bomb or gas tank. 爆发 (bàofā) is used for things that break out or erupt, such as a war, a volcano, or strong emotions.
Does 爆 have slang meanings online?
Yes. In casual modern Chinese 爆 can mean extremely or hugely, as in 爆火 (bàohuǒ, to become hugely popular). 爆料 (bàoliào) means to leak or reveal inside news.