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疱 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
疱pàoacnen, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #35096, Very Hard
疱pàopimpleunknown, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #35096, Very Hard
疱pàoblisterunknown, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #35096, Very Hard
疱pàoboilunknown, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #35096, Very Hard
疱pàoulcerunknown, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #35096, Very Hard
pào(pao4) T4
  1. 1acne
  2. 2pimple
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
疱(皰)pào(pao4)

The character 疱 (pào) refers to a skin condition characterized by the formation of small, raised bumps or blisters, commonly known as pimples or acne. It can also refer to blisters, boils, or ulcers on the skin, indicating various dermatological issues. This term is often used in medical contexts or discussions about skin health.

Strokes10Radical疒Frequency#35096DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, skin conditions like acne are often linked to internal imbalances, and treatment may involve herbal remedies and dietary changes, reflecting a holistic approach to health.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'pillow' (sounds like 'pào') made of soft, bumpy clouds that represent the pimples on your skin. The character 疱 looks like a combination of a skin surface (疒, a radical related to sickness) and a dot (representing a pimple) on the surface.

Meanings of 疱

pào(pao4)
1acne
2pimple
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 疱

疱Simplified
皰Traditional
10Strokes
疒Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 疱

JasonAmy

Podcast: 疱

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 疱

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'pillow' (sounds like 'pào') made of soft, bumpy clouds that represent the pimples on your skin. The character 疱 looks like a combination of a skin surface (疒, a radical related to sickness) and a dot (representing a pimple) on the surface.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 疱 with similar characters when discussing skin conditions, as this can lead to misunderstanding. The tone is crucial; ensure you pronounce it with the fourth tone (pào) to avoid confusion with other words. Common collocations include 疱疹 (pào zhěn, herpes) and 皮肤疱 (pí fū pào, skin blister).

HSK Study Tips

Although 疱 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it relates to HSK Level 4 terms that deal with health and sickness. Focus on learning related words like 病 (bìng, illness) and 疼 (téng, pain) to build a more comprehensive vocabulary around health.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, skin conditions like acne are often linked to internal imbalances, and treatment may involve herbal remedies and dietary changes, reflecting a holistic approach to health.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use the character 痘 (dòu) instead of 疱 when talking about pimples, as both relate to skin issues but have different nuances. Remember, 疱 refers more to blisters or boils.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 疱

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Etymology of 疱

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

Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 包 represents the sound. Simplified form of 皰.

Memory Hint

sickness

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 疱?

Decomposition of 疱

IDS Structure⿸疒包
疱Full Character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
包Bao1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 疱?

Write 疱

疱

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 疱

疱 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他的皮肤开始起____。

His skin was beginning to blister.

Example Sentences for 疱 (3)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他的皮肤开始起疱。

tā de pí fū kāi shǐ qǐ pào。

His skin was beginning to blister.
2
受感染的皮肤会变红，还有可能起水疱。

shòu gǎn rǎn de pí fū huì biàn hóng， ， huán yǒu kě néng qǐ shuǐ。

The affected skin turns red and may blister.
3
水疱一旦破了就必须用绷带包扎起来。

shuǐ pào yī dàn pò le jiù bì xū yòng bēng dài bāo zā qǐ lái。

The bandage must be put on when the blister breaks.
Exercise 1 of 1

Reorder the Sentence

His skin was beginning to blister.

Tap tokens to build the sentence

Cultural Notes for 疱

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese medicine, skin conditions like acne are often linked to internal imbalances, and treatment may involve herbal remedies and dietary changes, reflecting a holistic approach to health.

Word Family of 疱

Words Containing This Character4
疱疹blister皰疹
疱pàopimple皰
水疱blister水皰
天疱疮(medicine) pemphigus天皰瘡
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 疱疹 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 疱

You can learn terms like 痘痘 (dòu dòu, pimple) and 皮肤病 (pí fū bìng, skin disease) to enhance your vocabulary.