泼 (pō) - to splash & to spill

泼Tone 1

pō ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 氵

柠七

泼 · pō

to splash;

to spill;

to pour;

lively;

vigorous;

unrestrained

to splashto spillto pour

Usage highlights

to splash waterlively and sharpto pour cold waterWater Splashing Festivalto splash inkto be unrestrained

Synonyms

  • 洒— to sprinkle, to spray
  • 溅— to splash, to spatter
  • 活泼— lively, vivacious

Antonyms

  • 收— to collect, to restrain (antonym to unrestrained pouring)
  • 拘谨— reserved, restrained

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Don't splash water on the floor (不要泼水在地板上).
  • She has a lively personality (她性格泼辣).
  • He poured cold water on my idea (他给我的想法泼冷水).
  • The festival includes water splashing (泼水节).

Collocations

  • to splash water(泼水)
  • lively and sharp-tongued(泼辣)
  • to pour cold water(泼冷水)
  • Water Splashing Festival(泼水节)
  • to splash ink(泼墨)
  • to be unrestrained(泼洒)

Idioms

  • Splashing ink freely(泼墨)
  • Like a shrew scolding in the street(泼妇骂街)
  • Pouring dirty water(泼脏水)
  • Vigorous and lively(活泼泼地)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The Water Splashing Festival (泼水节) is a major Dai ethnic minority festival in Yunnan, symbolizing blessing and cleansing.
  • In Chinese painting, '泼墨' (splashing ink) is a technique for creating bold, expressive landscapes.
  • The character combines water (氵) with development/issuance (发), suggesting the action of water being poured or splashed.

FAQ