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March 24, 2026
胞bāo(bao1)
The character 胞 (bāo) primarily refers to biological terms such as 'placenta' and 'womb'. It can also denote the concept of being 'born of the same parents', emphasizing familial connections. This term is often used in medical contexts or discussions about birth and maternity.
Strokes9Radical⺼Frequency#27237DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of family and birth is deeply valued, and 胞 carries connotations of health and life. The placenta is often viewed as a protective element for the baby, symbolizing the nurturing aspect of motherhood.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'bag' (the shape of 胞) that holds a baby before it is born. The 'b' sound in 'bag' connects to the 'b' in bāo, reminding you that this 'bag' is the womb or placenta where life begins.
Meanings of 胞
bāo(bao1)
1placenta
2womb
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 胞
胞Simplified
9Strokes
⺼Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#27237Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7
Podcast: 胞
Podcast: 胞
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AI Study Notes for 胞
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a 'bag' (the shape of 胞) that holds a baby before it is born. The 'b' sound in 'bag' connects to the 'b' in bāo, reminding you that this 'bag' is the womb or placenta where life begins.
Usage Notes
When using 胞, it’s important to be aware of the context, as it can sometimes be used in medical discussions or more intimate familial contexts. A common mistake is confusing it with similar-sounding characters; for example, don't confuse 胞 with 包 (bāo), which means 'to wrap'.
HSK Study Tips
Though not in the HSK vocabulary lists, 胞 is useful for learners familiar with biological terms. Students should focus on its application in medical contexts and its composition, which includes the radical for 'body' (肉), indicating its biological relevance.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of family and birth is deeply valued, and 胞 carries connotations of health and life. The placenta is often viewed as a protective element for the baby, symbolizing the nurturing aspect of motherhood.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 胞 (bāo) with 包 (bāo), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying '我喜欢胞' (wǒ xǐhuān bāo) instead of '我喜欢包' (wǒ xǐhuān bāo) changes the meaning entirely from 'I like the placenta' to 'I like the bag'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 胞
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Grammar Patterns of 胞
胞 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 5
Complete the Sentence
如果受到损伤，神经细____再造的能力有限。
Nerve cells have limited ability to regenerate if destroyed.
The twins didn't have to repeat their second year at school.
4
肺细胞约每周新老更替一次。
fèi xì bāo yuē měi zhōu xīn lǎo gēng tì yī cì。
Lung cells die and are replaced about once a week.
5
他呼吁自己的同胞不要丧失信心。
tā hū xū zì jǐ de tóng bāo bù yào sāng shī xìn xīn。
He appealed to his countrymen not to lose heart.
6
那对双胞胎为一系列家用清洁产品做广告。
nà duì shuāng bāo tāi wéi yī xì liè jiā yòng qīng jié chǎn pǐn zuò guǎng gào。
The twins endorsed a line of household cleaning products.
7
这台仪器可以辨别癌细胞和正常的细胞。
zhè tái yí qì kě yǐ biàn bié ái xì bāo hé zhèng cháng de xì bāo。
The device can discriminate between the cancerous and the normal cells.
8
那些细胞分裂，产生出许多不同种类的细胞。
nà xiē xì bāo fēn liè， ， chǎn shēng chū xǔ duō bù tóng zhǒng lèi de xì。
Those cells divide and give many other different types of cells.
9
钱德勒家的这对双胞胎也最终统一了意见。
qián dé lè jiā de zhè duì shuāng bāo tāi yě zuì zhōng tǒng yī le yì jiàn。
The Chandler twins were coming round to the same opinion.
10
那对双胞胎玩扑克牌的时候，弗朗西斯坐着看书。
nà duì shuāng bāo tāi wán pū kè pái de shí hòu， ， fú lǎng xī sī zuò zháo kàn。
While the twins played cards, Francis sat reading.
Cultural Notes for 胞
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of family and birth is deeply valued, and 胞 carries connotations of health and life. The placenta is often viewed as a protective element for the baby, symbolizing the nurturing aspect of motherhood.
Word Family of 胞
Words Containing This Character20
细胞xìbāocell (biology)細胞
双胞胎shuāngbāotāitwin雙胞胎
同胞tóngbāosibling
干细胞stem cell幹細胞
胞bāowomb
癌细胞cancer cell癌細胞
白细胞leukocyte白細胞
红细胞erythrocyte紅細胞
淋巴细胞lymphocyte淋巴細胞
脑细胞brain cell腦細胞
神经细胞nerve cell神經細胞
血细胞blood cell血細胞
粒细胞granulocyte粒細胞
细胞核nucleus (of cell)細胞核
单细胞unicellular單細胞
细胞膜cell membrane細胞膜
台胞Taiwan compatriot臺胞
侨胞countryman living abroad僑胞
体细胞somatic cell體細胞
细胞学cytology細胞學
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 细胞 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 胞
While 胞 refers to biological aspects like 'placenta' and 'womb', 包 means 'to wrap' or 'bag'. They are distinct words with different meanings.
It's not commonly used in casual conversation but may appear in medical contexts or discussions about pregnancy.
Yes, 胞 can refer to being 'born of the same parents', indicating a close familial relationship.
