Which to use
“bao” and “búho” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #36,424
- “bao” frequency rank
- #27,125
- “búho” frequency rank
- 63549
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | bao | búho |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Cada uno de los maderos que de trecho en trecho atraviesan de babor a estribor, endentados sobre los durmientes y sirven para aguantar los costados, y sostener las cubiertas con todo el peso de la artillería y demás efectos: hacen el oficio de las vigas en las casas. En algunos buques se emplean baos de hierro, que ofrecen las ventajas de ser más ligeros, más sólidos y de menos bulto. | (Strigidae) Ave nocturna, indígena de España, de unos 40 cm. de altura, de color mezclado de rojo y negro, calzada de plumas, con el pico corvo, los ojos grandes y colocados en la parte anterior de la cabeza, sobre la cual tiene plumas alzadas que figuran orejas. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set bao and búho apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. bao ([ˈbao]) and búho ([ˈbuo]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 63549, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
bao is recorded at frequency rank #36,424, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈbao]. búho is at rank #27,125, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈbuo].
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 63549, this pair ranks #48,404 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of bao vs búho
Shared letters: bo. Private to "bao": a. Private to "búho": hú.
"bao" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "búho" · 4 letters · shape CVCV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "bao" and "búho" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "bao" or "búho"?
Remembering bao vs búho
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “bao” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable