合拢

合攏
hélǒng
verb #34,644

Meanings

  1. 1 to close (flower, eyes, suitcase, mouth, etc.)
  2. 2 to bring together; fold together
  3. 3 (of an insect or bird) to fold its wings

Examples

Tā xiào de zuǐ dōu hé bù lǒng le.
He was laughing so hard he couldn't close his mouth.
Yèlǐ huābàn mànman hélǒng.
At night the petals slowly close up.

Tips

usage
The fixed expression (xiào de hé bù lǒng zuǐ, 'laughing so hard one can't close one's mouth') is extremely common — basically the Chinese way to say 'grinning ear to ear'.
memory
(hé, to join/close together) + (lǒng, to gather/draw together) — a doubled meaning that emphasises the bringing-together motion. Picture two halves of a clamshell pulling closed.

Stroke Order

lǒng