How to Write 曝 (bào/pù) — Meaning “to expose (to sunlight or publicity)”

Imagine the sun (日) shining brightly on an "explosive" (暴) situation, like a camera flash exposing a secret. The sun is so strong it "exposes" everything, linking the two parts to the meaning.

注意 (Note): The left radical 日 is narrow, while the right part 暴 has many strokes. The top of 暴 is 日 with a short horizontal stroke, then 共 (gòng) and 水 (shuǐ) below — be careful not to make the bottom look like 氺. Common mistakes include forgetting the small stroke inside the top 日 of 暴.

曝 (bào) means to expose to sun or public attention, often used in 曝光 (exposure). 曙 (shǔ) means dawn or first light of day, while 曚 (méng) describes dim or hazy light. Unlike 曙 and 曚, 曝 emphasizes the act of revealing or causing exposure.

You will see 曝 in photos with 曝光 (bào guāng) for exposure, or in news for 曝光 (bào guāng) meaning to expose a scandal. It can also appear in 曝晒 (pù shài) for drying clothes in the hot sun, though the pronunciation pù is less common than bào.

Common words containing 曝 include: 曝光 (bào guāng) — exposure (photography or publicity); 曝晒 (pù shài) — to expose to the sun / sun-dry; 曝露 (pù lù) — to expose / reveal.