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蓬勃 (péng bó) — vigorous, flourishing, full of vitality

Definition

蓬勃 describes strong, upward growth — life, energy, or development bursting outward. Pairs naturally with abstract or living subjects (朝气, 发展); for business/trade prefer 兴隆 or 兴盛, and 旺盛 suits energy or appetite.

adjective
vigorousflourishingfull of vitality

Examples

  • 蓬勃。
    Zhè ge chéng shì de jīng jì fā zhǎn dé shí fēn péng bó.
    The city's economy is developing very vigorously.
  • 蓬勃。
    Nián qīng rén chōng mǎn péng bó de zhāo qì.
    Young people are full of vigorous vitality.
  • 蓬勃。
    Huā yuán lǐ de huā cǎo cháng dé fēi cháng péng bó.
    The flowers and grass in the garden are growing very vigorously.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

蓬pénglush growth
勃bóvigorous

蓬 suggests lush growth and 勃 suggests vigorous energy, together describing flourishing vitality.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎovegetation
Sound part声符shēngfú
逢
逢féng蓬péng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蓬 pairs 艸 (vegetation) with 逢, which gives the sound.

Open 蓬 →

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
力力lìpower
Sound part声符shēngfú
孛
孛bèi勃⁰bó
Same sound today

勃 pairs 力, which carries the sense of power or force, with 孛 as a sound part.

Open 勃 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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