薄雾 (bó wù) — mist, haze, light fog | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary word for a thin layer of mist or haze. More poetic than plain 雾, suggesting light fog that partially veils rather than fully obscures.

noun

misthazelight fog

Measure word · 层

Easily confused

，薄雾。
Qīng chén, bó wù lǒng zhào zhe zhěng gè hú miàn.
In the early morning, a mist enveloped the entire lake.
薄雾。
Yuǎn chù de shān zài bó wù zhōng ruò yǐn ruò xiàn.
The distant mountains appear and disappear in the mist.
薄雾。
Yì chǎng bó wù ràng zhěng gè chéng shì biàn de méng lóng ér shén mì.
A layer of light fog made the whole city become hazy and mysterious.

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.

薄 gives thinness, and 雾 gives fog, together describing a light mist.

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.

艹溥薄

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎo

Sound part声符shēngfú

溥

溥pǔ薄báo

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

薄 combines 艹, a grass part, with 溥 as the sound part.

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 霧; 雾 is its simplified writing.

雨務霧

Meaning part形符xíngfú

雨雨yǔrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

務

務wù霧wù

Same sound today

In the traditional form 霧, 雨, rain, is on top and 務 below gives the sound; the simplified 雾 is a shorthand.