variant of 布

JLPT N2 5 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Meaning and Usage

The character primarily means "cloth" or "fabric," referring to material used for making clothes or other textile products. It also functions as a verb meaning "to spread," "to distribute," or "to announce." This dual usage is common in Chinese, where can describe both a tangible object and an action related to spreading or arranging.

Common Collocations

  • (bùliào): fabric, material
  • 布告 (bùgào): announcement, notice
  • 布置 (bùzhì): to arrange, to deploy

Usage Notes

When used as a noun, refers to physical cloth and is often seen in contexts related to textiles and clothing. As a verb, it is more formal and often appears in written or official contexts, such as 布告 (announcement) or 布置 (to arrange/deploy). Avoid confusing with similar-sounding words like (bù, meaning "not"), which have very different meanings and uses.

Register and Tone

The noun usage is neutral and common in everyday speech when discussing fabrics. The verb usage tends to be more formal or literary, often found in official documents or formal announcements.

Example Sentences

This piece of cloth is very soft, suitable for making clothes.

He posted the news on the bulletin board.

The government decided to deploy more security measures.