Small combining form of katakana エ (e) used to explicitly specify the vowel part of the previous katakana character, or to show a speaker's pronunciation or extension of that vowel.

区部:

焼ぶ:

医薬部外品: quasi drug

tribe

extended period of absence from school or work; gap

The hiragana syllable ぶ (bu). Its equivalent in katakana is ブ (bu).

Classical form of びる (biru, “to act like”)

仏陀: Buddha

仏陀: a Buddha