胞胎 (bāo tāi) — twins (multiple births from the same pregnancy)

Definition

Literary term for twins, often used in writing or compound words (双胞胎, 试管胞胎). The everyday spoken word is 双胞胎.

noun
twins (multiple births from the same pregnancy)
Measure word · 对

Examples

  • 胞胎。
    Zhè duì bāo tāi cháng dé hěn xiàng.
    This pair of twins looks very alike.
  • 胞胎，。
    Tā shēng le yí duì bāo tāi, yì nán yì nǚ.
    She gave birth to a pair of twins, a boy and a girl.
  • 胞胎。
    bāo tāi Zhī jiān de gǎn qíng tōng cháng hěn shēn.
    The bond between twins is usually very deep.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

胞bāofetal sac
胎tāifetus

胞胎 joins 胞 (fetal sac) and 胎 (fetus) to name births from the same pregnancy.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
月Written in full as肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
包
包bāo胞bāo
Same sound today

胞 pairs 月 (flesh) with 包, a shape representing a pregnant figure, to point to the membrane enclosing a fetus.

Open 胞 →

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
⺼Written in full as肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
台
台tái胎tāi
Same sound today

胎 is formed from ⺼ (written in full as 肉) and 台, which gives the sound.

Open 胎 →
Appears in
Family & KinshipLife Stages & Age

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