How to Write 咆 (páo) — Meaning “to roar”

Picture a mouth (口) that is "wrapped" (包) in a huge sound — think of a powerful roar being trapped and then exploding out. You can also remember that 咆哮 (the common word) sounds like "pow" as in a loud bang, matching the roar meaning.

Write the left radical 口 first (3 strokes: vertical, horizontal, bottom horizontal). Then write the right part 包: start with the left stroke of 勹, then the right hook, followed by the left vertical, horizontal, and final vertical hook — 5 strokes total. A common mistake is mixing up the order inside 包 or forgetting the small horizontal stroke inside the hook.

吁 (xū or yù) is a different character meaning to sigh or to shout, and its right part is 于 (yú), not 包.吂 (máng) is a rare character meaning a kind of call or sound; its right part is 亡 (wáng), so visually 咆 has the distinctive "wrapping" shape of 包. In usage, 咆 specifically means a loud, forceful roar (like a lion), while 吁 is softer and more common in modern words like 呼吁 (to appeal).

咆 appears almost exclusively in the word 咆哮 (páo xiāo), which means to roar (animals) or to thunder (storms). It can also describe a person shouting angrily in dramatic or literary contexts. Culturally, 咆哮 often appears in nature descriptions or in martial arts novels to show power and ferocity.

Common words containing 咆 include: 咆哮 (páo xiāo) — to roar; to thunder; 咆哮着 (páo xiāo zhe) — roaring; 大声咆哮 (dà shēng páo xiāo) — To roar loudly.