Meaning
博 originally meant 'broad' or 'extensive', referring to something wide-ranging in scope or knowledge. It appears in many compound words related to learning, games, and breadth of knowledge. As a verb, it can mean 'to win' or 'to gain', especially in gambling contexts.
Usage
博 is rarely used alone in modern Mandarin; it typically appears in compounds. Common contexts include academic terms (博士 'doctorate', 博物馆 'museum'), gambling (赌博 'to gamble'), and descriptions of extensive knowledge (博学 'erudite'). The character carries a formal, literary register.
Examples
- 01他知识渊博，什么都懂一点。, .He is very knowledgeable and understands a bit of everything.
- 02她用这个故事博得了观众的同情。.She won the audience's sympathy with this story.
Common collocations
- 博得to win, to gain (approval, sympathy)
- 博览to read extensively
- 博爱universal love, fraternity
- 渊博erudite, profound knowledge
Antonyms
Origin
The character 博 originally depicted two people standing beside each other with a hand in between, suggesting a broad reach or winning in a game. The semantic evolution connects physical breadth to abstract concepts of extensive knowledge and winning.