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包含 (bāo hán) — to contain, to include

Definition

包含 means 'to contain, to include' (parts within a whole, items in a set). More formal and written than 含; broader and more inclusive than 包括, which lists specific members.

verb
to containto include

Examples

  • 包含。
    Zhè ge tào cān bāo hán yì bēi yǐn liào hé yí fèn zhǔ shí.
    This set meal includes a drink and a main dish.
  • 包含。
    Tā de huí dá bāo hán le hěn duō yǒu yòng de xìn xī.
    His answer contained a lot of useful information.
  • 包含。
    Zhè běn shū bāo hán le wǔ gè zhāng jié.
    This book contains five chapters.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

包bāocontain
含háncontain

包 and 含 both mean to contain; together they describe including something.

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 →

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
今
今jīn含hán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

含 is built from 口 (mouth) and 今 (jīn). The 口 part is about the mouth, while 今 gives the sound.

Open 含 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5

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