爆

• Pinyin: bào
• Hanzi breakdown: 爆 = 火 (fire) + 暴 (violent/phonetic)

Meaning

To explode; to burst; to pop. Sudden, violent release of energy or rapid increase.

Used literally for explosions and figuratively for sudden popularity (爆红), overwhelming crowds (爆满), or trending topics (爆料). A versatile verb that captures the idea of something bursting forth suddenly and dramatically.

Examples

1. 轮胎突然爆了，吓了我一大跳。 The tire suddenly burst, which gave me a big scare.
2. 这首歌一发布就爆了，点击量超过一亿。 This song went viral as soon as it was released, with over 100 million views.
3. 演唱会门票开售十分钟就爆满了。 Concert tickets sold out within ten minutes of going on sale.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, internet

Tone: dramatic

Do Say

• 这个消息在网上爆了。(This news exploded online.)
• 气球爆了，孩子吓哭了。(The balloon popped and the child cried in fright.)

Don't Say

• 不要在正式场合用'爆'来表示流行 (Don't use 爆 to mean 'went viral' in formal contexts — use 迅速走红 or 广为流传 instead)

Origin & History

Pictophonetic character with 火 (fire) radical and 暴 (violent) as phonetic component, originally meaning to burst with fire.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal