How to Write 哱 (bō) — Meaning “Sound of a horn”

Picture a mouth (口) blowing into a curved horn that looks like the right side 孛. The horn makes a loud "bō" sound. So remember: mouth plus horn equals a "bō" blast.

Write the left radical 口 small and high, roughly one-third the height. The right part 孛 starts with a top horizontal, then a vertical, then left-falling and right-falling strokes making a cover, followed by a dot, then 子 below. A common mistake is making 口 too large or misplacing the dot under the cover.

呢 (ne) is a common modal particle used in questions or for emphasis, while 呣 (m̄/móu) is an interjection for thinking or a sound. 哱 is only used for the sound of a horn, and its right component 孛 is unique, unlike 呢's 尼 or 呣's 母.

哱 is extremely rare in daily life. It appears mostly in historical contexts, such as describing the ancient trumpet called 哱啰 (bō luō) used in military or ceremonial settings. You might encounter it in classical texts or historical dramas, but not in conversation.

Common words containing 哱 include: 哱啰 (bō luō) — A type of ancient trumpet or horn; 哱 (bō) — Sound of a horn; 吹哱 (chuī bō) — to blow a horn.