About
The character 套, which has maintained a consistent written form, is structurally composed of the components 大 (big) and 镸 (long), a combination that originally conveyed the idea of something long and loose-fitting. Its earliest meanings were concrete, referring to a case or sheath designed to encase long objects like scrolls or weapons, a concept directly illustrated by its components. From this physical sense of a covering, its meaning broadened to include any sheath-like enclosure, such as a pillowcase or a book cover, and then further expanded to denote a set of items that belong together, like a suite of furniture or a collection of rules. This logical progression from a physical covering to a cohesive set eventually enabled its application to more abstract patterns and methods, giving rise to its modern verbal uses for actions like applying a formula or executing a trick.
Example Sentences Hide
我买了一套书。
这套家具很实用。
她穿了一套红色的裙子。
不要总说套话，要真诚。
如果你套用旧方法，可能不会成功。
他的商业套路让人防不胜防。
投资股票被套牢后，他学会了谨慎。
在西部电影中，牛仔常用套索捕捉野马。