包干 (bāo gān) — to take full responsibility for a task until its completion

Definition

包干 (bāo gān) is a verb meaning to take sole charge of a whole job end-to-end — you own the result, not just a piece. It implies full responsibility until the task is finished, stronger than just 负责.

verb
to take full responsibility for a task until its completion

Examples

  • 包干。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù yóu tā bāo gān.
    He is taking full responsibility for this project until it's done.
  • 包干。
    Tā bāo gān le suǒ yǒu de gōng zuò.
    He took full responsibility for all the work until completion.
  • 包干。
    Wǒ men jué dìng bāo gān zhè ge rèn wu.
    We decided to take full responsibility for this task until it's finished.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

包bāotake responsibility
干gānwork

包 take responsibility and 干 work combine to mean taking charge of a task to completion.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 包 pictures a fetus in a womb, or a baby wrapped in cloth.

Open 包 →

The simplified 干 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (饼干, 干杯) it is 乾; in others (干, 干活儿) (干扰) it is 幹 or 干.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 乾; 干 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
乙乙yǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
倝
倝gàn乾gān
Same sound today
Open 干 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.