About
The character "苞" is structured with the grass radical (艹) atop the component "包", which provides both phonetic and semantic clues, as "包" itself conveys the idea of wrapping or containing. This etymological foundation points directly to the character's original and enduring meaning, referring to the protective sheath or bud that encloses a flower, a direct metaphorical extension of its phonetic component's sense. Over time, while retaining this primary botanical definition, the meaning broadened to encompass any bundle or cluster held together in a similar manner, such as bamboo sheaths, illustrating a logical extension from a specific natural form to a more general conceptual category. This conceptual link between form and function, embedded in the character's composition, has allowed its core idea of an enveloping layer to remain consistent even as its applications subtly widened.
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。