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报 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
报bàoto announceHSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1680, Medium
报bàoto informHSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1680, Medium
报bàoreportHSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1680, Medium
报bàonewspaperHSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1680, Medium
报bàorecompenseHSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1680, Medium
报bàorevengeHSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1680, Medium
报bào>张[zhāng]HSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1680, Medium
报bàoto announce, to report; newspaper; payback, revengeHSK 7, n, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1680, Medium
bào(bao4) T4
  1. 1to announce
  2. 2to inform
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
报(報)bào(bao4)

The character 报 (bào) primarily means 'to announce' or 'to report.' It is commonly used in contexts involving news, notifications, or reporting information, such as in newspapers or formal announcements. Additionally, it has nuances related to recompense or revenge, highlighting a duality in its usage depending on context.

Strokes7Radical扌Frequency#1680DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, newspapers play a vital role in disseminating information and shaping public opinion. The concept of reporting is also tied to accountability and social responsibility, reflecting the importance of transparency in communication.

Memory Tip

Think of 报 (bào) as a 'reporting' sound, where the top part (扌) resembles a hand that is 'announcing' something, while the bottom part (包) can be visualized as a 'package' of information being delivered. Picture a newspaper being handed over, echoing the sound 'bào' as it's given.

Meanings of 报

bào(bao4)
1to announce
2to inform
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 报

报Simplified
報Traditional
7Strokes
扌Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1680Frequency Rank
份Measure Word
HSK 3.0L7ElementaryTOCFLL3YCTL4HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 报

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Podcast: 报

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AI Study Notes for 报

Quick Contrast

通知 (tōngzhī) vs 报 (bào): Use 通知 for formal notifications or communications, while 报 is more about reporting news or announcements.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 报 (bào) as a 'reporting' sound, where the top part (扌) resembles a hand that is 'announcing' something, while the bottom part (包) can be visualized as a 'package' of information being delivered. Picture a newspaper being handed over, echoing the sound 'bào' as it's given.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone, as 'bào' can be confused with 'bǎo' (保), which means 'to protect.' In formal contexts, it’s often used in phrases related to news or reports, such as 报纸 (bàozhǐ) for 'newspaper.' Common collocations include 报告 (bàogào) meaning 'report' and 报名 (bàomíng) meaning 'to register.'

HSK Study Tips

While 报 is not specifically categorized in HSK levels, its components are useful for learners. It connects with other HSK words related to communication, such as 说 (shuō - to speak) and 告诉 (gàosù - to tell). Focus on recognizing its use in different contexts and its pronunciation.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, newspapers play a vital role in disseminating information and shaping public opinion. The concept of reporting is also tied to accountability and social responsibility, reflecting the importance of transparency in communication.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mix up 报 with similar-sounding words. For instance, saying 报告 (bàogào) incorrectly as 报高 (bàogāo), which does not exist. The correct pronunciation should always use the neutral tone on the second character.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 报

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Etymology of 报

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 報. Pictograph of a kneeling person (卩) being forced by a hand (又) into shackles (㚔). Based on the original meaning "punish". The meaning later shifted to "revenge", "recompense", "report", and "announce".

Memory Hint

A hand 扌 cuffing 又 a criminal 卩, representing sentencing

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 报?

Decomposition of 报

IDS Structure⿰扌⿸卩又
报Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
卩jie2
enclosing
又you4
inner
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 报?

Write 报

报

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

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Grammar Patterns of 报

报 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 8 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.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

谁想参加比赛谁就____名。

Whoever wants to enter the competition should sign up.

Example Sentences for 报 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
以前我曾经做过大学校报的主编。

yǐ qián wǒ zēng jīng zuò guò dà xué xiào bào de zhǔ biān。

I used to edit the college paper in the old days.
2
我为他代写《电讯报》每周的橄榄球专栏。

wǒ wéi tā dài xiě《 《 diàn xùn》 bào 》 měi zhōu de gǎn lǎn qiú。

I ghosted his weekly rugby column for the Telegraph.
3
“我想发份电报。”——“好的，发给谁？”

“ “ wǒ xiǎng fā fèn diàn。”——“ bào 。”——“， hǎo de ，？”

"I want to send a telegram." — "Fine, to whom?"
4
该国内地的很多地区无法即时报告艾滋病病例。

gāi guó nèi dì de hěn duō dì qū wú fǎ jí shí bào gào ài zī bìng bìng lì。

Many areas in the country'sinterior are unable to report Aids cases immediately.
5
那个节目将包括英格兰与爱尔兰比赛的实况报道。

nà gè jié mù jiāng bāo kuò yīng gé lán yǔ ài ěr lán bǐ sài de shí kuàng bào dào。

That programme will include live commentary on the England-Ireland game.
6
《每日邮报》的头版标题为“良知的声音”。

《 《 měi rì yóu》 bào 》 de tóu bǎn biāo“ tí wéi “ liáng zhī”。

The Daily Mail has the headline "The Voice of Conscience"
7
兰德尔这个时候应该正在拿周日的报纸。

lán dé ěr zhè gè shí hòu yīng gāi zhèng zài ná zhōu rì de bào zhǐ。

Randall would just now be getting the Sunday paper.
8
土耳其局势将成为明天《卫报》的头条。

tǔ ěr qí jú shì jiāng chéng wéi míng tiān《 《 wèi》 bào 》 de。

The Turkish situation makes the lead in tomorrow's Guardian.
9
你是不是收藏了大量的书籍、报纸和纪念品？

nǐ shì bù shì shōu cáng le dà liáng de shū jí、 、 bào zhǐ hé jì niàn？

Do you keep many books and papers and memorabilia?
10
关于我们的报道大都是彻头彻尾的胡编乱造。

guān yú wǒ mén de bào dào dà dū shì chè tóu chè wěi de hú biān luàn zào。

Much of what has been written about us is out-and-out lies.

Cultural Notes for 报

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, newspapers play a vital role in disseminating information and shaping public opinion. The concept of reporting is also tied to accountability and social responsibility, reflecting the importance of transparency in communication.

Word Family of 报

Words Containing This Character20
报告bàogàoto inform報告
报bàoreport報
报道bàodàoreport報道
报纸bàozhǐnewspaper報紙
报警bàojǐngto sound an alarm報警
情报qíngbàoinformation情報
回报huíbào(in) return回報
警报(fire) alarm警報
报复bàofùrevenge報復
报名bàomíngto sign up報名
汇报huìbàoto report匯報
举报jǔbàoto denounce舉報
时报"Times" (newspaper, e.g. New York Times)時報
报酬bàochoureward報酬
报仇bàochóuto avenge報仇
报应retribution報應
通报tōngbàoto inform通報
申报shēnbàoto declare (to customs)申報
海报hǎibàoposter海報
报导(news) report報導
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 报告 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 报

In this context, 报 refers specifically to 'newspaper' or 'report,' indicating a publication that presents news and information.