蔀 (bù) - Screen made of grass or reeds & shade

蔀Tone 4

bù ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

不偲

蔀 · bù

Screen made of grass or reeds;

shade;

thick growth of vegetation;

obscure, dim;

also used in ancient astronomy to refer to a division of the sky.

Screen made of grass or reedsshadethick growth of vegetation

Usage highlights

Thick screenScreen houseSky divisionObscure meaningScreen and coverThick vegetation

Synonyms

  • 蔽— to cover, to hide, to shelter
  • 屏— screen, shield
  • 遮— to cover, to hide, to screen

Antonyms

  • 明— bright, clear
  • 显— obvious, apparent

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The thick foliage screened the sunlight (蔀屋).
  • Ancient astronomers divided the sky into sections called bu (蔀).
  • The meaning of this text is quite obscure (文义深蔀).

Collocations

  • Thick screen(蔀蔽)
  • Screen house(蔀屋)
  • Sky division(蔀法)
  • Obscure meaning(深蔀)
  • Screen and cover(蔀覆)
  • Thick vegetation(丰蔀)

Idioms

  • Rich screen and bright cover(丰蔀明覆)
  • Screen house and humble door(蔀屋卑门)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient Chinese astronomy, 'bu' (蔀) was a time unit of 76 years in the traditional calendar system.
  • The character originally referred to screens made of grass or reeds used for shading or partitioning.
  • It carries connotations of obscurity, screening, and protection from light or view.

FAQ