About
礴 is a phono-semantic compound with the semantic radical 石 (shí, stone) on the left and the phonetic component 薄 (báo/bó, thin) on the right. The phonetic element 薄 historically contains the grass radical 艹 and the water radical 氵 alongside 尃. While its components suggest stone and thinness, the character’s core meaning relates to filling, extending, or boundless expanse. It is most commonly found in the compound 磅礴 (pángbó), an adjective describing something vast and overwhelming, often applied to grand landscapes, sweeping natural phenomena, or immense atmospheric energy.