About
The character "苞" is structured with the grass radical (艹) positioned above the component "包", which provides both phonetic guidance and the semantic notion of wrapping or enclosing. In its early etymological context, the character referred specifically to thick clusters of reeds or grasses used for bundling and protective covering, directly deriving from "包"'s sense of containment. Over time, its meaning shifted from denoting the material itself to describing the wrapped buds or sprouts of plants, which are naturally sheathed in layers, thus maintaining the conceptual link to enclosure. This semantic transition solidified its primary modern usage for plant buds, as seen in terms like "花苞" for flower bud, while its graphic form has consistently combined these two elements.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这些花苞很漂亮。
苞米可以煮着吃。
树上有很多新苞。
农民喜欢种苞谷。
玫瑰的花苞是红色的。
苞片保护着幼嫩的花蕾。
植物打苞时需细心照料。
研究人员观察了苞的形态变化。