泡泡 (pào pao) — papaw (a tropical fruit or tree)

Definition

Read pāo here (not the more common pàopao 'bubble'): it is the colloquial Chinese name for the papaya fruit/tree. Do not confuse with 泡沫 (pàomò, 'foam/bubble').

noun

papaw (a tropical fruit or tree)

Measure word · 个

Examples

泡泡。
Zhè zhǒng pào pao hěn hǎo chī.
This kind of papaw is very tasty.
泡泡。
Wǒ zài shì chǎng mǎi le yí gè pào pao.
I bought a papaw at the market.
泡泡。
pào pao De guǒ ròu hěn ruǎn.
The flesh of the papaw is very soft.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

氵包泡

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

包

包bāo泡pào

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

泡 combines 氵 (water) and 包, which supplies the sound. It conveys foam.

Open 泡 →