Learn a Chinese Character - 裹

1. Character Basics

Radical: 衣/yī (clothing), 果/guǒ (fruit)

Stroke Count: 14 strokes

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: Guǒ (Third tone)

3. Meaning

Basic Meaning: To wrap; to bind; to bundle up; to cover

Extended Meaning: To enclose; to wrap up; to swaddle; to bandage

Additional Meaning: Used in various idioms and expressions related to covering or wrapping something

4. Common Words

• 包裹 (bāo guǒ) - Package; parcel; to wrap up

  我收到一个包裹。(Wǒ shōu dào yī gè bāo guǒ.)

  I received a package.

• 裹脚 (guǒ jiǎo) - Foot binding

  裹脚是中国古代的一种习俗。(Guǒ jiǎo shì zhōng guó gǔ dài de yī zhǒng xí sú.)

  Foot binding was a custom in ancient China.

• 裹紧 (guǒ jǐn) - To wrap tightly

  天气很冷，你应该裹紧外套。(Tiān qì hěn lěng, nǐ yīng gāi guǒ jǐn wài tào.)

  It's very cold, you should wrap your coat tightly.

• 裹起来 (guǒ qǐ lái) - To wrap up

  把礼物裹起来。(Bǎ lǐ wù guǒ qǐ lái.)

  Wrap up the gift.

• 裹腿 (guǒ tuǐ) - Leg wrappings; puttees

  士兵们都穿着裹腿。(Shì bīng men dōu chuān zhe guǒ tuǐ.)

  The soldiers all wear puttees.

5. Grammar & Usage

As a Verb:

• Used to describe the action of wrapping, binding, or covering something.
• Commonly used with objects to indicate what is being wrapped.

Common Structures:

• 裹 + [noun]: 裹伤 (guǒ shāng - to bandage a wound), 裹脚 (guǒ jiǎo - foot binding)
• 裹 + [adverb]: 裹紧 (guǒ jǐn - to wrap tightly), 裹好 (guǒ hǎo - to wrap well)
• 裹 + [complement]: 裹起来 (guǒ qǐ lái - to wrap up), 裹进去 (guǒ jìn qù - to wrap inside)

Collocations:

• 金裹银 (jīn guǒ yín) - Gold wrapped in silver (referring to a kind of food)
• 裹足不前 (guǒ zú bù qián) - To hesitate to move forward
• 浓妆艳裹 (nóng zhuāng yàn guǒ) - Heavily made up and gorgeously dressed

6. Cultural Background

The character "裹" (guǒ) has significant cultural connotations in Chinese history. Originally, it depicted the image of clothing wrapped around something, symbolizing the act of covering or enclosing.

In Chinese culture, the concept of "裹" has been associated with various practices and traditions:

• The historical practice of foot binding (裹脚/guǒ jiǎo) was a controversial custom in China for many centuries.
• Traditional Chinese clothing often involves wrapping styles, such as the qi pao (旗袍) and the long robe.
• In Chinese cuisine, there are many dishes that involve wrapping ingredients, such as spring rolls (春卷/chūn juǎn) and zongzi (粽子/zòng zi).
• The character appears in several idioms that reflect Chinese cultural values and observations about life.

The concept of "裹" also extends metaphorically to represent protection, preservation, and containment in various contexts.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

1. Break it down: The character "裹" consists of "衣" (yī, clothing) on the outside and "果" (guǒ, fruit) on the inside, representing something wrapped in clothing.
2. Image association: Imagine wrapping a piece of fruit in cloth to connect with the meaning of "裹".
3. Stroke order: Remember the stroke sequence: 点 (diǎn), 横 (héng), 撇 (piě), 竖提 (shù tí), 撇 (piě), 捺 (nà), 竖 (shù), 横折 (héng zhé), 横 (héng), 横 (héng), 横 (héng), 竖 (shù), 撇 (piě), 捺 (nà).
4. Word association: Connect "裹" with common words like "包裹" (bāo guǒ - package) or "裹脚" (guǒ jiǎo - foot binding) to reinforce your memory.
5. Cultural connection: Remember that "裹" is associated with traditional practices like wrapping food or clothing, which can help you recall its meaning.