Refers to the craft material or objects made from it, such as masks, decorations, or props.
We made a big papier-mâché dinosaur for the school festival.
sham; façade; something superficially impressive
Figurative use: something that appears substantial or genuine but is actually hollow or fake. Often used critically.
His plan is nothing but a sham.
That company's good performance was just a façade.
Katakana spelling, often used for emphasis or in informal contexts.
Hiragana spelling, common in casual writing.
From 張る (はる, 'to stretch') + ぼて (possibly related to ぼてっと, an onomatopoeia for something thick or puffed up). The exact derivation of ぼて is uncertain.