bómǔ 伯母 N father’s elder brother’s wife ■ 我 的伯父伯母住在香港。Wǒ de bófù bómǔ zhù zài
Xiānggǎng. My uncle (← father’s elder brother) and aunt (his wife) live in Hong Kong.
NOTE: 伯母 bómǔ is also a form of address for women older than your mother but not old enough to be
your grandmother. It is generally used by well-educated urban Chinese.bó 脖 N neck
bózi 脖子 [suffix: 脖 neck + 子 nominal suffix] N neck ■ 我的脖子扭伤了。Wǒ de bózi niǔ shāng le.
My neck was sprained.
bó 博 ADJ abundant, extensive
bó dà jīng shēn 博大精深 [博 extensive + 大 big + 精 refined + 深 profound] ADJ magnificent and
profound
bókè 博客 V & N write and post a blog; web log, blog, blogger
bólǎnhuì 博览会 [modif: 博 plentiful, extensive + 览 view + 会 meeting] N exposition, exhibition, fair 世
界博览会 shìjiè bólǎnhuì World Exposition, World Expo
bóshì 博士 [modif: 博 erudite + 士 scholar] N doctor, Ph.D. ■ 张博士是一位中国著名的生物化 学
家。Zhāng bóshì shì yīwèi Zhōngguó zhùmíng de shēngwù huàxué jiā. Dr Zhang is a well-known
biochemist in China. 博士生 bóshìshēng Ph.D. candidate / 博士生导 师 bóshìshēng dǎoshī Ph.D. supervisor
/ 博士后 bóshìhòu post-doctorate / 博士学位 bóshì xuéwèi Ph.D. degree
bówùguǎn 博物馆 [modif: 博物 natural science + 馆 building] N museum 历史博物馆 lìshǐ bówùguǎn
historical museum
bó 膊 N arm (See gēbo 胳膊.)
bó 搏 V be engaged in a hand-to-hand combat, fight
bódòu 搏斗 [comp: 搏 fight + 斗 fight] V battle, wrestle
bó 薄 ADJ meager, small (ANTONYM 厚 hòu) ■ 请收 下这份薄礼。Qǐng shōu xia zhè fèn bó lǐ. Please
accept this insignificant gift.
NOTE: The character 薄 has two pronunciations: báo and bó. While 薄 báo is used to describe material
“thinness,” 薄 bó is used in a figurative sense.
bóruò 薄弱 [comp: 薄 thin + 弱 weak] ADJ frail, weak
bó 驳 TRAD 駁 V refute, retort (See fǎnbó 反驳.)
bǔ 捕 V catch, arrest
bǔzhuō 捕捉 [comp: 捕 catch + 捉 catch] V catch (animals), seize
bǔrǔ 哺乳 V breastfeed
bǔrǔ dòngwù 哺乳动物 mammal
bǔ 补 TRAD 補 V mend, patch
bǔcháng 补偿 [comp: 补 mend + 偿 compensate] V compensate, make up
bǔchōng 补充 [comp: 补 supplement + 充 fill up] V make up, supplement: ■ 刚才小李谈了这个问 题，
我想补充几句。Gāngcái Xiǎo Lǐ tánle zhège wèntí, wǒ xiǎng bǔchōng jǐ jù. Just now Xiao Li
spoke of this problem. I’d like to add a few points.
bǔjiù 补救 [comp: 补 mend + 救 rescue] V remedy 补救办法 bǔjiù bànfǎ corrective measure, remedial
measure
bǔkè 补课 [v+obj: 补 make up+ 课 lessons] V make up for missed lessons
bǔtiē 补贴 [comp: 补 patch + 贴 paste] V & n subsidize; subsidy
bù 不 ADV no, not ■ 今天不冷。Jīntiān bù lěng. It’s not cold today. ■ “你是美国人吗?” “不, 我是 加
拿大人。” “Nǐ shì Měiguórén ma?” “Bù, wǒ shì Jiānádàrén.” “Are you an American?” “No, I’m a
Canadian.”
NOTE: When followed by a syllable in the fourth (falling) tone, 不 undergoes tone change from the normal
fourth tone to the second (rising) tone, e.g. 不对 búduì, 不是 búshì.