() — rather, quite, considerably

Definition

颇 (pō) is a written/formal adverb meaning 'rather, quite' — stronger and more literary than 比较 or 相当, and typically used before adjectives in formal writing.

adverb
ratherquiteconsiderably

Examples

  • Zhè ge jué dìng duì tā yǐng xiǎng pō dà.
    This decision had a considerable impact on him.
  • Tā de yǎn jiǎng pō chéng gōng.
    His speech was quite successful.
  • Zhè ge xiàn xiàng zài xué shù jiè pō pǔ biàn.
    This phenomenon is quite common in academic circles.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 頗; 颇 is its simplified writing.

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

The traditional form 頗 pairs 皮 as a sound part with 頁 as a meaning part; the simplified 颇 is a later shorthand.

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