() - To pounce & to rush at

Tone 1

pū | 15 strokes | radical:

·

To pounce;

to rush at;

to throw oneself upon;

to attack vigorously;

to flap;

to pat;

to dust.

To pounceto rush atto throw oneself upon

Usage highlights

To pounce onTo rush forwardTo attack fiercelyTo flutterTo dust offTo extinguish a fire

Synonyms

  • to charge; to rush
  • to raid; to attack
  • to pat; to clap

Antonyms

  • 退to retreat; to withdraw
  • to guard; to defend

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The cat pounced on the mouse (猫扑向老鼠).
  • He rushed into the burning building (他扑进燃烧的建筑物).
  • She dusted the furniture (她扑打家具上的灰尘).
  • The butterfly flapped its wings (蝴蝶扑着翅膀).

Collocations

  • To pounce on(扑向)
  • To rush forward(扑上去)
  • To attack fiercely(猛扑)
  • To flutter(扑腾)
  • To dust off(扑打)
  • To extinguish a fire(扑灭)

Idioms

  • The moth flies into the flame(飞蛾扑火)
  • To rush about in a frenzy(东奔西扑)
  • To throw oneself into work with gusto(扑心扑肝)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 撲 (simplified 扑) often conveys a sense of sudden, direct, and vigorous action.
  • It appears in the idiom '飞蛾扑火' which symbolizes self-destructive behavior driven by attraction.
  • In the context of games, it relates to '扑克牌' (poker cards), where '扑' suggests the action of playing or the element of chance/bluffing.

FAQ