胞

bāo

包 + 月

Definitions

bāo (noun) placenta; womb

bāo (adjective) born of the same parents

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 包 represents the sound.

Semantic: ⺼ Phonetic: 包

About

胞 is a phonosemantic compound: 月 (⺼, "meat/flesh") signals an anatomical connection, while 包 provides the sound. The original meaning was the placenta or fetal membrane enveloping a child in the womb. This association with childbirth and shared maternal origin extended to describe siblings born of the same parents, and later the character was adopted in modern science to mean biological cells.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我们大家都是同胞。

Wǒmen dàjiā dōu shì tóngbāo.

We are all compatriots.

人体由无数细胞组成。

Réntǐ yóu wúshù xìbāo zǔchéng.

The human body is composed of countless cells.

这些细胞需要营养。

Zhèxiē xìbāo xūyào yíngyǎng.

These cells need nutrition.

同胞之间应该互相帮助。

Tóngbāo zhī jiān yīnggāi hùxiāng bāngzhù.

Compatriots should help each other.

科学家研究细胞结构。

Kēxuéjiā yánjiū xìbāo jiégòu.

Scientists study cell structure.

他的胞弟在北京工作。

Tā de bāodì zài Běijīng gōngzuò.

His younger brother from the same parents works in Beijing.

细胞分裂是生长的基础。

Xìbāo fēnliè shì shēngzhǎng de jīchǔ.

Cell division is the basis of growth.

全球同胞应共同保护环境。

Quánqiú tóngbāo yīng gòngtóng bǎohù huánjìng.

Compatriots worldwide should protect the environment together.

Related Characters

Component: 包

Component: 月

胞