About
The character "盖" in its traditional form "蓋" is structurally composed of the grass radical 艹 atop the component 盍, which itself signifies a lid covering a vessel, thereby clearly conveying its core meaning of a lid or cover. This etymological foundation as a covering object directly supported its early use as both a noun for a lid and a verb meaning to cover, shield, or build, as in constructing a roof. From this concrete sense, the meaning extended into more abstract domains, giving rise to usages such as "to surpass" as if to cover over something else, and as an adverb meaning "approximately" in the sense of a covering generalization. The modern simplified form "盖" streamlined the traditional character's lower component while retaining the essential upper grass radical, maintaining its connection to the original semantic field.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
请把盖子盖好。
他们在盖新房子。
文件需要盖章。
白雪覆盖了大地。
他试图掩盖真相。
篮球比赛中他盖帽了。
这个理论覆盖了所有情况。
他们计划盖一座博物馆。