承包 (chéng bāo) — to contract (a job); to undertake

Definition

承包 is a business/contracting term: to take on work under a contract (a project, cafeteria, land). Unlike 承担 (which is about assuming responsibility), 承包 implies a paid deal with specific deliverables.

verb
to contract (a job)to undertake

Examples

  • 承包。
    Zhè ge gōng chéng yóu wǒ men gōng sī chéng bāo.
    This project is being contracted by our company.
  • 承包。
    Tā chéng bāo le xué xiào de shí táng.
    He contracted the school cafeteria.
  • 承包。
    Zhè kuài dì yǐ jīng chéng bāo gěi bié rén le.
    This piece of land has already been contracted out to someone else.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

承chéngtake on
包bāoundertake

'承' means take on and '包' means cover or undertake, so together they express contracting for a job.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 卩卩jiékneeling person
  • 廾廾gǒngboth hands

承 combines 卩, a kneeling person, and 廾, both hands, to show holding or carrying.

Open 承 →

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 →

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