卜 (bo) — surname Bu

Definition

卜 is listed here as a bound form, used almost solely as a Chinese surname. It is rare; learners will encounter it chiefly in names like ∼先生 / ∼小姐, not as a vocabulary word.

bound form
surname Bu
Easily confused

Examples

  • 卜。
    bo Xiān sheng shì wǒ de zhōng wén lǎo shī.
    Mr. Bu is my Chinese teacher.
  • 卜。
    Wǒ zài tú shū guǎn yù jiàn le bo xiǎo jiě.
    I met Ms. Bu at the library.
  • 卜。
    bo Zhè ge xìng bù cháng jiàn.
    The surname Bu is not common.

Origin

Pictograph
六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíng

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

卜 is thought to come from the shape of a crack in an oracle bone, which was used for predicting the future.

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