堡 (bǎo) - Fortress, fort, stronghold & also refers to a fortified village or town

堡Tone 3

bǎo ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

傲不

堡 · bǎo

Fortress, fort, stronghold;

also refers to a fortified village or town;

can mean 'burg' or 'castle' in some contexts.

Fortress, fort, strongholdalso refers to a fortified village or towncan mean 'burg' or 'castle' in some contexts.

Usage highlights

FortressCastleBunker/blockhouseSandcastleFortified villageBridgehead

Synonyms

  • 垒— rampart, base, fortress
  • 寨— stockade, camp, fortress
  • 城— city, walled city, fortress

Antonyms

  • 野— wild, open field (opposite of fortified)
  • 开— open, exposed (opposite of protected)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient fortress (堡垒) stood on the hill.
  • They built a sandcastle (沙堡) at the beach.
  • The village has a well-preserved fort (城堡).
  • The military base is heavily fortified (碉堡).

Collocations

  • Fortress(堡垒)
  • Castle(城堡)
  • Bunker/blockhouse(碉堡)
  • Sandcastle(沙堡)
  • Fortified village(堡寨)
  • Bridgehead(桥头堡)

Idioms

  • An impregnable fortress(铜墙铁壁的堡垒)
  • A castle in the air(空中楼堡)
  • The last bastion(最后的堡垒)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used for defensive military structures and fortified settlements in China.
  • Often appears in place names indicating historically fortified locations.
  • Represents concepts of security, defense, and strength in Chinese culture.

FAQ