bāo
noun #27,237

Meanings

  1. 1 cell (biology)
  2. 2 placenta; womb
  3. 3 compatriot; fellow citizen

Examples

HSK 4
Xìbāo shì shēngmìng de jīběn dānwèi.
Cells are the basic unit of life.
HSK 6
Hǎiwài tóngbāo men hǎo!
Hello, overseas compatriots!

Tips

usage
细胞 (cell), 同胞 (compatriot) are the most common uses.

Components

radical
ròu
flesh; meat (radical form of 肉)
Left flesh radical (the meat-form of , visually identical to but distinct in meaning) - anchors in the body/anatomy family with , , , . Here it specifically signals living tissue, fitting the meanings "placenta, womb-mate, cell."
phonetic
bāo
to wrap; bundle
Right supplies the sound - bāo unchanged. also adds semantic flavour: it pictures a fetus wrapped inside a womb ( wrap + unborn child). With the flesh radical it gives "wrapped-flesh" - the womb, placenta, by extension the cell (细胞) and a womb-sibling (同胞 compatriot).

Stroke Order

bāo