涵盖 (hán gài) — everyone from top to bottom, all levels (of a g…

Definition

A formal, written verb for 'to cover / encompass / include' a scope or range — broader and more literary than 包括 or 包含, and closer to 覆盖 in meaning.

verb

everyone from top to bottomall levels (of a group or organization)

涵盖。
Zhè cì gǎi gé dé dào le gōng sī hán gài de zhī chí.
This reform has been supported by everyone in the company, from top to bottom.
涵盖。
Xué xiào hán gài dōu zài wéi qī mò kǎo shì zuò zhǔn bèi.
Everyone at the school, from the principal to the students, is preparing for the final exams.
涵盖。
Zhè ge jué dìng ràng jiā lǐ hán gài dōu hěn gāo xìng.
This decision made everyone in the family, young and old, very happy.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

涵盖 joins 涵, 'contain', and 盖, 'cover', to mean including and covering a whole range.

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.

氵函涵

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐ

Sound part声符shēngfú

函

Same sound today

涵 is built from 氵, the water radical, plus 函, which gives the sound.

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 蓋; 盖 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艸艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

盍

盍hé蓋gài

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 蓋 pairs 艸, grass, with 盍 for sound. It was a thatch, and it took on cover meanings after 盍 was borrowed for “why not”.

Appears in