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蕴藏 (yùn cáng) — to contain (natural resources, reserves) in store; to hold (potential, emotions) hidden within

Definition

蕴藏 (yùn cáng) means to hold resources or potential hidden inside — typically used for untapped reserves or latent qualities, unlike the general 存储 ('to store actively') and the abstract 蕴含 ('to contain/bear' ideas or meaning).

verb
to contain (natural resources, reserves) in storeto hold (potential, emotions) hidden within

Examples

  • 蕴藏。
    Zhè piàn tǔ dì xià yùn cáng zhe fēng fù de méi tàn zī yuán.
    This land contains abundant coal reserves.
  • 蕴藏。
    Zhè ge nián qīng rén shēn shàng yùn cáng zhe jù dà de qián lì.
    This young person holds great potential within.
  • 蕴藏。
    Tā de yǎn shén zhōng yùn cáng zhe shēn shēn de yōu shāng.
    His eyes hold deep sorrow.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

蕴yùncontain
藏cángstore

蕴 (to contain) and 藏 (to store away) reinforce the idea of something held hidden inside.

Characters in this word

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 蘊; 蕴 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
縕
縕yùn蘊yùn
Same sound today

The traditional form 蘊 is built from 艸 (grass) and the sound part 縕; this explains 蘊, not 蕴.

Open 蕴 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
臧
臧zāng藏cáng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

藏 is made from 艸 (grass) and 臧, where 臧 gives the sound.

Open 藏 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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