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爆竹 (bào zhú) — firecracker

Definition

Traditional term for firecrackers, now mostly historical or literary. 鞭炮 is the everyday word for the strings of firecrackers people actually set off; 炮 on its own usually means cannon or artillery.

noun
firecracker
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • ，爆竹。
    Guò nián de shí hou, rén men xǐ huan fàng bào zhú qìng zhù.
    During the Spring Festival, people like to set off firecrackers to celebrate.
  • 爆竹，。
    bào zhú De shēng yīn hěn xiǎng, zuì hǎo wǔ zhù ěr duo.
    The sound of firecrackers is very loud; it's best to cover your ears.
  • 爆竹，。
    Xiǎo hái zi bú yào zì jǐ qù diǎn bào zhú, yào zhǎo dà rén bāng máng.
    Children should not light firecrackers by themselves; they should ask an adult for help.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

爆bàoexplosive
竹zhúbamboo

The first element means explosive and the second means bamboo, together naming a bamboo tube that bursts.

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
火火huǒ
Sound part声符shēngfú
暴
暴bào爆bào
Same sound today

爆 combines 火 (fire) with 暴, which supplies the sound and also originally meant violence.

Open 爆 →

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

竹 pictures two bamboo stalks with leaves.

Open 竹 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Chinese Culture & CustomsFestivals & Holidays

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