Chinese word

泡

Pronunciation

Pinyinpào

Meaning

  • nounbubble

Example

肥皂水里有很多泡。féi zào shuǐ lǐ yǒu hěn duō pào

There are many bubbles in the soapy water.

Illustration for 泡 (bubble)

More examples

房地产市场的泡沫正在收缩。fáng dì chǎn shì chǎng de pào mò zhèng zài shōu suō

The bubble in the real estate market is shrinking.

Core concept

A thin, round pocket of gas held briefly in or on a liquid, from one bubble to a layer of foam.

Common phrases

  • 泡沫经济pào mò jīng jì

    bubble economy

  • 气泡qì pào

    air bubble

  • 泡影pào yǐng

    fleeting illusion

Similar words

泡沫pào mò: A layer or mass made of many small bubbles gathered together.
气泡qì pào: A small pocket of gas trapped inside a liquid or solid.

Definition in Chinese

在液体表面或液体中由气体形成的圆形或囊状空腔，表面薄且容易破裂。zài yè tǐ biǎo miàn huò yè tǐ zhōng yóu qì tǐ xíng chéng de yuán xíng huò náng zhuàng kōng qiāng biǎo miàn báo qiě róng yì pò liè

Word origin

泡 (pào, "bubble") combines 氵 (shuǐ, "water") + 包 (bāo, "wrap"), using the first component for the water-related sense and the second chiefly for pronunciation.

Usage tips

  • The noun belongs in ordinary household conversation, where it can describe what appears in drinks, washing water, or a bath rather than only something discussed in science.

Other meanings

  • foamnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word