疱 meaning and stroke order
Acne
How to write 疱, 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.
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- 10
Meaning of 疱
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- pimple
- acne
- blister
- boil
- ulcer
How 疱 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Sickness.
疒 gives the meaning and 包 hints at the sound.
Radical: 疒 (sickness), shared by 127 characters on this site.
How to remember 疱
The sickness radical 疒 wraps around 包 (bāo), which means a wrap or bundle. Picture a little bundle of illness swelling up on your skin, like a pimple or blister.
疱 is rarely used alone in modern Chinese. It mostly appears in medical or descriptive words such as 疱疹 (pàozhěn, herpes or blisters) and 水疱 (shuǐpào, water blister). Example: 他嘴上长了疱疹。(Tā zuǐ shang zhǎng le pàozhěn.) He has a cold sore on his lip.
Common mistake: Learners often read 疱 as bāo because of the phonetic 包, but it is pào with a fourth tone. It is also easy to confuse with 泡 (pào, bubble), which uses the water radical 氵 and is a common alternative in 水泡 for blisters.
Common words with 疱
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 疱疹 | pàozhěn | blister; bleb (watery blister) |
Questions about 疱
How many strokes are in 疱?
疱 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 疱 mean?
疱 (pào) means acne. A common word with it is 疱疹 (pàozhěn), meaning "blister; bleb (watery blister)".
How do you pronounce 疱?
疱 is pronounced pào, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 疱?
The radical of 疱 is 疒, which carries the idea of "sickness". Dictionaries list 疱 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 疱?
The traditional form of 疱 is 皰. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 疱 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the everyday word for a pimple in Chinese?
In daily speech people usually say 痘痘 (dòudou) or 青春痘 (qīngchūndòu) for pimples and acne. 疱 sounds more medical or written.
Does 疱疹 mean herpes?
Yes. 疱疹 (pàozhěn) is the medical term for herpes and similar blistering rashes. For example, 带状疱疹 (dàizhuàng pàozhěn) means shingles.