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僕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
僕púto fall forward; prostrate, prone; servantx, 14 strokes, radical 亻
pú(pu2) T2
  1. 1to fall forward; prostrate, prone; servant
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March 24, 2026

僕pú(pu2)

The character 僕 (pú) primarily refers to a servant or someone who serves, often in a humble or subservient role. It can also imply a physical position of being prostrate or lying down, which conveys a sense of submission or servitude. This character is commonly used in historical contexts or discussions about social hierarchy.

Strokes14Radical亻
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese society, the concept of 僕 relates closely to the hierarchical structure where servants played essential roles in households. This character can evoke discussions about class and labor in historical contexts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a servant (僕) who is so dedicated that he always falls forward (the top part resembles a person leaning down). The sound 'pú' can be remembered by thinking of 'puddle'—a servant who is so humble, he is like a puddle on the ground.

Meanings of 僕

pú(pu2)
1to fall forward; prostrate, prone; servant
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 僕

僕Simplified
14Strokes
亻Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 僕

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Podcast: 僕

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AI Study Notes for 僕

Quick Contrast

仆 (pú) refers specifically to a servant, often in a more formal or traditional context, whereas 僕 (pú) can imply a more general sense of servitude or a humble position.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 僕; it is pronounced with a rising tone (pú). This character is more formal and may not be widely used in everyday casual conversation. Common collocations include phrases related to servitude or historical contexts.

HSK Study Tips

As 僕 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, focus on understanding its historical relevance and usage in literature. This character can connect with other words related to social roles and relationships, enhancing your vocabulary around servitude.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 僕 with 朋 (péng), which means 'friend.' Remember that 僕 implies servitude rather than companionship. Additionally, using 僕 in casual contexts can seem outdated or overly formal.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 僕

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Etymology of 僕

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

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 卜 represents the sound. Simplified form of 僕.

Memory Hint

person

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

Origin

僕 = 亻 + 菐. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 僕

IDS Structure⿰亻菐
僕Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
菐pu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 僕?

How to say to fall forward; prostrate, prone; servant in Chinese

“to fall forward; prostrate, prone; servant” in Chinese is僕pú

The character 僕 (pú) primarily refers to a servant or someone who serves, often in a humble or subservient role. It can also imply a physical position of being prostrate or lying down, which conveys a sense of submission or servitude. This character is commonly used in historical contexts or discussions about social hierarchy.

When to use 僕

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 僕; it is pronounced with a rising tone (pú). This character is more formal and may not be widely used in everyday casual conversation. Common collocations include phrases related to servitude or historical contexts.

僕 or something close to it

仆 (pú) refers specifically to a servant, often in a more formal or traditional context, whereas 僕 (pú) can imply a more general sense of servitude or a humble position.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 僕 with 朋 (péng), which means 'friend.' Remember that 僕 implies servitude rather than companionship. Additionally, using 僕 in casual contexts can seem outdated or overly formal.

Write 僕

僕

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

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Word Family of 僕

Words Containing This Character13
仆人servant僕人
女仆drudge女僕
仆pūto fall forward
公仆gōngpúpublic servant公僕
风尘仆仆fig. travel-worn風塵僕僕
奴仆servant奴僕
前仆后继advancing wave upon wave前仆後繼
主仆master and servant主僕
仆役servant僕役
太仆Grand Servant in Imperial China, one of the Nine Ministers 九卿[jiǔ​qīng]太僕
僮仆boy servant僮僕
太仆寺旗Taibus banner in Xilin Gol league 錫林郭勒盟|锡林郭勒盟[Xī​lín​guō​lè​méng], Inner Mongolia太僕寺旗
更仆难数too many to count更僕難數
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 僕

What does 仆人 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 僕

In modern language, 僕 is less commonly used and often appears in historical texts or discussions about traditional roles.

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