剥

剝

bāo, bō

刂 + 录

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

bāo (verb) to peel; to skin

bō (verb) to peel; to skin; to shell

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 刂 represents the meaning and 录 represents the sound. Simplified form of 剝.

Semantic: 刂 Phonetic: 录

About

剥 is the simplified form of 剝, a phono-semantic compound. The right side is the standing knife radical 刂 (from 刀), indicating cutting. The left side is the phonetic 录 (lù), written 彔 in the traditional form. Originally, it meant to peel, strip, or flay skin, bark, or shells. This physical sense later extended metaphorically to exploitation and deprivation, like stripping someone of rights, property, or status.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

她剥了一个苹果。

Tā bāo le yī gè píngguǒ.

She peeled an apple.

弟弟喜欢剥花生。

Dìdi xǐhuān bāo huāshēng.

Younger brother likes peeling peanuts.

剥橘子皮要小心。

Bāo júzi pí yào xiǎoxīn.

Peeling an orange requires caution.

他剥开了那个包裹。

Tā bō kāi le nàgè bāoguǒ.

He stripped open that package.

剥削工人是不对的。

Bōxuē gōngrén shì bù duì de.

Exploiting workers is not right.

剥去外衣，他看到了一封信。

Bō qù wàiyī, tā kàndào le yī fēng xìn.

After stripping off the outer wrapping, he saw a letter.

由于剥削，工人们举行了罢工。

Yóuyú bōxuē, gōngrénmen jǔxíng le bàgōng.

Due to exploitation, the workers went on strike.

在资本主义社会，剥削现象常常存在。

Zài zīběn zhǔyì shèhuì, bōxuē xiànxiàng chángcháng cúnzài.

In capitalist society, the phenomenon of exploitation often exists.

Related Characters

Component: 刂

Component: 录

剥