胞 (bāo) — (bound form) sibling (born of the same parents); (bound form) compatriot; fellow countryman
Definition
胞 (bāo) is a bound form meaning 'sibling' or 'compatriot,' almost always prefixed by 同 (tóng-) as in 同胞. It is not used as a standalone word.
bound form
sibling (born of the same parents)compatriotfellow countryman
Examples
- 。Tā shì wǒ de tóng bāo xiōng dì.He is my fellow countryman (and brother).
- 。Zhè duì shuāng bāo tāi cháng dé hěn xiàng.This pair of twins looks very alike.
- 。Tā shì wǒ de tóng bāo.He is my fellow countryman.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
胞 pairs 月 (flesh) with 包, a shape representing a pregnant figure, to point to the membrane enclosing a fetus.
Appears in
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