袋

• Pinyin: dài
• Hanzi breakdown: 袋 = 衤(clothing) + 代 (generation/substitute, phonetic)

Meaning

Bag; sack; pocket. A container made of flexible material, also used as a measure word.

As a noun, refers to any bag-like container: plastic bags, paper bags, sacks, pouches. As a measure word, used for things that come in bags (一袋米, 一袋零食). Commonly combined with material words: 塑料袋 (plastic bag), 纸袋 (paper bag), 口袋 (pocket).

Examples

1. 请帮我拿两个塑料袋装水果。 Please help me get two plastic bags to put the fruit in.
2. 他从超市买了一大袋零食回来。 He came back from the supermarket with a big bag of snacks.
3. 这袋大米有十公斤重。 This bag of rice weighs ten kilograms.

Usage Guide

Context: shopping, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请给我一个袋子装东西。(Please give me a bag to put things in.)
• 我买了两袋面粉。(I bought two bags of flour.)

Don't Say

• 把袋用于硬质容器 (Don't use 袋 for rigid containers — it describes flexible bags; use 箱 for boxes or 桶 for barrels)

Origin & History

Composed of 衤(clothing radical) and 代 (phonetic component). Originally referred to a cloth pouch worn on the body, later extended to all types of bags.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal