to divine, fortune-telling; to predict; (also used as a modal particle pronounced bo).

The character 【卜】 is a fascinating window into ancient Chinese culture, directly linked to the practice of oracle bone divination. Its shape and sound both come from a dramatic ancient ritual.

 

Ancient people would heat animal bones or turtle shells over fire. Because these surfaces were uneven, they heated up inconsistently and would suddenly crack. As the bone split, it made a sharp "bu bu" sound — and this is exactly where the pronunciation of 【卜】 comes from.

 

If you look closely at the character 【卜】, it resembles the T-shaped crack that appeared on those ancient bones. The vertical line represents the bone itself, and the horizontal line is the sudden split caused by the heat. This character perfectly captures both the sound and the visual result of that ancient fortune-telling practice.

 

Today, 【卜】 is not only used in words related to prediction but also appears in common surnames and as a casual modal particle in modern slang, showing its long journey from the oracle bones to daily conversation.

Just remember: 【卜】 looks like a crack in a bone and sounds like the "bu bu" noise it made when breaking. Connect the sound to the shape of the split, and you will never forget this ancient character.