蓬勃 (péng bó) is an adjective meaning 'vigorous,' 'thriving,' or 'flourishing.' It vividly describes rapid, healthy, and energetic growth—often used for living things like plants, animals, or abstract concepts like economies, industries, or youth movements. The first character 蓬 (péng) evokes the image of蓬草 (póng cǎo), a type of tall, resilient weed that spreads quickly; the second character 勃 (bó) means 'to surge' or 'to burst forth,' suggesting sudden, dynamic vitality. Together, they form an evocative compound emphasizing natural, unstoppable vitality.

This word carries a positive, uplifting connotation and is common in formal writing, news reports, and inspirational speeches. While it can describe physical growth (e.g., forests, crops), it’s equally frequent in figurative contexts—such as a '蓬勃发展的科技产业' (a thriving tech industry). It rarely appears in casual speech and is almost never used to describe people directly (e.g., you wouldn’t say '他很蓬勃'); instead, it modifies nouns like 朝气 (vitality), 发展 (development), or 生机 (vitality/life force).