暴 (bào) - Violent, cruel, savage & sudden, abrupt

暴Tone 4

bào ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

傲不

暴 · bào

Violent, cruel, savage;

sudden, abrupt;

to expose, to reveal;

also refers to a tyrant or despot.

Violent, cruel, savagesudden, abruptto expose, to reveal

Usage highlights

Violent stormTyrantBad temperExpose to sunSudden deathSharp price increase

Synonyms

  • 凶— fierce, vicious
  • 猛— fierce, violent
  • 烈— intense, fierce

Antonyms

  • 温— gentle, mild
  • 柔— soft, gentle
  • 仁— benevolent, kind

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The storm was sudden and violent (暴风雨).
  • He has a bad temper (脾气暴躁).
  • Exposing to the sun (暴晒) can damage the skin.
  • The tyrant was overthrown (暴君被推翻).
  • Prices rose sharply (物价暴涨).

Collocations

  • Violent storm(暴风雨)
  • Tyrant(暴君)
  • Bad temper(暴躁)
  • Expose to sun(暴晒)
  • Sudden death(暴毙)
  • Sharp price increase(暴涨)

Idioms

  • To reveal one's true colors(暴露无遗)
  • Violent and unprincipled(暴戾恣睢)
  • Cruel and ruthless(凶残暴虐)
  • To die a sudden, violent death(暴毙而亡)
  • To rage like thunder(暴跳如雷)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Confucian thought, a '暴君' (tyrant) is the opposite of a virtuous ruler and loses the Mandate of Heaven.
  • The character appears in historical texts describing cruel rulers and sudden natural disasters.
  • Modern usage extends to describe sudden events (暴富 - sudden wealth) and exposure (暴露 - reveal).

FAQ