泊 (bó) — to moor (a ship); to be at anchor; to park (a vehicle)

Definition

泊 (bó) means 'to moor' (a ship) or 'to park' (a vehicle) — the same verb covers both, with the meaning picked from context.

verb
to moor (a ship)to be at anchorto park (a vehicle)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 泊。
    Chuán bó zài gǎng kǒu.
    The ship moored at the port.
  • 泊。
    Tā bǎ chē bó zài lù biān.
    He parked the car by the roadside.
  • 泊。
    Zhè ge tíng chē chǎng kě yǐ bó hěn duō chē.
    This parking lot can park many cars.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái泊bó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 水 part shows water. The 白 part gives the sound, and the picture is of a ship staying still after running aground in shallow water.

Appears in
Boats & Water Travel

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