笼

籠

lóng, lǒng

竹 + 龙

Definitions

lóng (noun) cage; basket; steamer basket

lóng (verb) to cover; to enclose

lǒng (verb) to cover; to enclose

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and 龙 represents the sound. Simplified form of 籠.

Semantic: ⺮ Phonetic: 龙

About

笼 is the simplified form of 籠, a phono-semantic compound combining the meaning radical 竹 (bamboo) and the sound component 龙 (lóng). The bamboo radical suggests the original material, bamboo splints or woven canes, while 龙 indicates the pronunciation. The traditional character 籠 features the full dragon 龍 under 竹. Its primary meaning is a cage, woven basket, or enclosure for confining animals, birds, or prisoners. From this sense of a surrounding container, it extended to mean covering or shrouding, as in thick fog enveloping a landscape or a situation cloaked in obscurity.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

小鸟被关在笼子里。

Xiǎo niǎo bèi guān zài lóngzi lǐ.

The little bird is locked in the cage.

这个笼子是竹制的。

Zhège lóngzi shì zhú zhì de.

This cage is made of bamboo.

迷雾笼罩着山谷。

Míwù lǒngzhào zhe shāngǔ.

Mist envelops the valley.

他的回答很笼统。

Tā de huídá hěn lǒngtǒng.

His answer is very general.

夜晚的黑暗笼罩了整个城市。

Yèwǎn de hēi'àn lǒngzhào le zhěnggè chéngshì.

The darkness of night enveloped the entire city.

请不要用笼统的语言描述细节。

Qǐng bùyào yòng lǒngtǒng de yǔyán miáoshù xìjié.

Please do not use general language to describe the details.

她用一个漂亮的笼子养了一只鹦鹉。

Tā yòng yīgè piàoliang de lóngzi yǎng le yī zhǐ yīngwǔ.

She keeps a parrot in a beautiful cage.

在经济报告中，数据不能太笼统。

Zài jīngjì bàogào zhōng, shùjù bùnéng tài lǒngtǒng.

In economic reports, data cannot be too general.

Related Characters

Component: 竹

Component: 龙

笼