套 (tào) — (verb) to cover, to encase, to put on (a cover); (verb) to draw out (information) slyly; to trap; (classifier) used for sets, collections, or a suite of things
Definition
套 covers three uses: a classifier for sets/suites (like 组, but 套 fits items meant to go together — 一套沙发), a verb meaning to put a cover on, and a verb meaning to trap or trick someone into revealing information (like 圈套).
verb
to coverto encaseto put on (a cover)to draw out (information) slylyto trap
classifier
used for setscollectionsor a suite of things
Examples
- 套。Wǒ mǎi le yí tào xīn shā fā.I bought a new set of sofas.
- ，套。Wài miàn hěn lěng, kuài bǎ wài yī tào shàng.It's cold outside, quickly put on your coat.
- 套，。Bié xiǎng tào chū wǒ de huà, wǒ bú huì shuō de.Don't try to get me to spill information — I won't say anything.
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
- 大大dàlarge
- 長長chánglong
套 is made from 大 (large) and 長 (long), originally for something long, with some reference to hair; it later came to mean a cover or a linked group.
Appears in
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