包
bāo/pɑʊ̯⁵⁵/
In Chinese, the English word 'bag' can be translated using several different terms such as 包 (bāo) or 袋 depending on the type of container.
Meaning: flexible container (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 包 | bāo | /pɑʊ̯⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /paʊ̯ɻʷ⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Erhua, Sinological IPA, 包兒 / 包儿) |
|
| 袋 | dài | /taɪ̯⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /tɑɻ⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Erhua, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 袋仔 | tē-á | /te²¹ a⁴⁴⁵/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Penang, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese, Hsinchu) /te²²⁻²¹ a⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Penang, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese, Hsinchu) |
Hokkien |
| 橐仔 | lok-á | /lɔk̚³²⁻⁴ a⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Xiamen) /lɔk̚⁵⁻²⁴ a⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Quanzhou) |
Hokkien |
The term 包 refers to a flexible container, but it is also commonly used as a verb meaning 'to wrap' or 'to bundle'.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the structure of the container. 包 is typically used for items with a more structured shape, such as a handbag, backpack or briefcase. In contrast, 袋 is used for flexible, soft containers like plastic bags, paper bags or sacks.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Dungan, the word for bag is бозы, while in Hokkien, you may encounter the forms 袋仔 or 橐仔.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is bāo. The IPA is /pɑʊ̯⁵⁵/.
Did you know?
- In Chinese, the word 包 is used for 'bun' or 'dumpling' because these foods are essentially 'bags' of dough filled with meat or vegetables. A steamed bun is called a 包子.
- The character 包 is a pictogram that originally depicted a fetus or a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.
- The word 包 can be used in a colloquial phrase to mean 'to take care of' or 'to guarantee' a result. For example, saying 我包了 can mean 'I've got this covered'.
Examples in context
- 那是我的包。This is my bag.The first sentence is useful for identifying ownership of a 包.Tatoeba #2040518 by sadhen, translation #55628 by jakov
- 钱包在包里。The wallet is in the bag.The second sentence is useful for describing the location of an object inside a 包.Tatoeba #3377883 by GlossaMatik, translation #3377884 by _undertoad
- 我扛着米袋。I carry a bag of rice.The third sentence is useful for describing the act of carrying a 袋 of rice.Tatoeba #8727927 by crescat, translation #4253066 by orcrist
- 他的 钱包 里有很多现金。(Tā de qián bāo lǐ yǒu hěnduō xiànjīn.)His wallet contains a lot of cash.
- 我想买个小 包包 。(Wǒ xiǎng mǎi ge xiǎo bāo bāo .)I want to buy a small bag.
- 明天我们一起去爬山，记得带上 背包 。(Míngtiān wǒmen yīqǐ qù páshān, jìdé dài shàng bēi bāo .)Tomorrow we are going hiking together, remember to bring your backpack.
- 73 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei and Xiaowen are getting ready to go shopping.
- 伟 Wei你有大一点的包吗？Nǐ yǒu dà yīdiǎn de bāo ma?Do you have a slightly larger bag?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我有一个大包。Wǒ yǒu yīgè dà bāo.I have a large bag.
- 伟 Wei那个包看起来很重。Nàgè bāo kàn qǐlái hěn zhòng.That bag looks very heavy.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen没关系，我能拿得动。Méiguānxì, wǒ néng ná de dòng.It's okay, I can carry it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bag” translations and entries 包, 袋, 袋仔, 橐仔, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 包, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
