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砲 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
砲pàogun, cannonzg, 10 strokes, radical 石, rank #53574, Very Hard
pào(pao4) T4
  1. 1gun, cannon
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March 24, 2026

砲pào(pao4)

The character 砲 (pào) refers to a gun or cannon, typically associated with artillery and heavy weaponry. It is commonly used in military contexts and discussions about weaponry, as well as in historical texts regarding warfare.

Strokes10Radical石Frequency#53574DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

砲 is often used in discussions about China's military history, particularly in relation to the Opium Wars and the modernization of the Chinese military. The character is deeply connected to the evolution of warfare in China.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large cannon on a battlefield, booming with sound as it fires. The character 砲 has the radical 石 (stone) at the bottom, symbolizing the heavy, solid nature of a cannon, while the top part resembles a person aiming a weapon, helping you remember that it means 'gun' or 'cannon.'

Meanings of 砲

pào(pao4)
1gun, cannon
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 砲

砲Simplified
10Strokes
石Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 砲

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Podcast: 砲

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AI Study Notes for 砲

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the context when using 砲, as it is more formal and specific to military terminology. Common collocations include 砲兵 (pàobīng - artillery) and 砲火 (pàohuǒ - gunfire). Avoid confusing it with other characters that sound similar but have different meanings, such as 炮 (páo), which can also mean 'firecracker.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 砲 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other military and weapon-related terms you may encounter in advanced studies. Focus on recognizing its usage in texts discussing military history or technology.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 砲 (pào) with 炮 (páo), the latter meaning 'firecracker' or 'to fire.' A common error is using 砲 in a casual context where 炮 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我喜欢炮' (Wǒ xǐhuān pào - I like guns), which would sound odd unless discussing military topics.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 砲

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Etymology of 砲

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 包 represents the sound. Simplified form of 砲.

Memory Hint

stone

Semantic (meaning)石
+
Phonetic (sound)包
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

砲 = 石 + 包. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 砲

IDS Structure⿰石包
砲Full Character
=
石dan4
left
包Bao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 砲?

How to say gun, cannon in Chinese

“gun, cannon” in Chinese is砲pào

The character 砲 (pào) refers to a gun or cannon, typically associated with artillery and heavy weaponry. It is commonly used in military contexts and discussions about weaponry, as well as in historical texts regarding warfare.

When to use 砲

Be mindful of the context when using 砲, as it is more formal and specific to military terminology. Common collocations include 砲兵 (pàobīng - artillery) and 砲火 (pàohuǒ - gunfire). Avoid confusing it with other characters that sound similar but have different meanings, such as 炮 (páo), which can also mean 'firecracker.'

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 砲 (pào) with 炮 (páo), the latter meaning 'firecracker' or 'to fire.' A common error is using 砲 in a casual context where 炮 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我喜欢炮' (Wǒ xǐhuān pào - I like guns), which would sound odd unless discussing military topics.

Write 砲

砲

Practice writing 砲 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 砲

Words Containing This Character20
炮bāocannon
炮弹artillery shell炮彈
大炮big gun大砲
鞭炮biānpàofirecrackers
迫击炮mortar (weapon)迫擊炮
火炮cannon
炮兵gunner
炮火gunfire
开炮to open fire開砲
炮轰to bombard炮轟
枪炮firearm槍砲
炮制to concoct炮製
炮击to shell炮擊
炮手gunner砲手
炮塔gun turret
炮灰cannon fodder
炮台fort砲臺
放鞭炮to set off firecrackers
高射炮anti-aircraft gun
马后炮mǎhòupàofig. belated action馬後炮
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 砲

What does 炮 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 砲

It is pronounced as 'pào', with a falling tone.

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