承包

• Pinyin: chéng bāo
• Hanzi breakdown: 承 = to undertake/receive; 包 = 勹 (wrap) + 巳 (snake) = to wrap/contract

Meaning

To contract; to undertake (a job); to take on a project. To accept responsibility for completing work.

Used in business and construction contexts for contracting out work. Can be used humorously in casual speech to mean 'dominating' something (e.g., 承包了热搜 = dominated trending topics).

Examples

1. 这家建筑公司承包了整个小区的建设工程。 This construction company contracted the entire residential complex development.
2. 农民承包了村里的土地种植水果。 The farmer contracted the village's land to grow fruit.
3. 这位演员最近承包了各大热搜。 This actor has been dominating all the trending topics recently.

Usage Guide

Context: business, construction, agriculture, internet slang

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 他承包了这个项目的全部工作。(He contracted all the work for this project.)
• 村民们承包鱼塘搞养殖。(The villagers contracted fish ponds for aquaculture.)

Don't Say

• 承包你的心 (While creative, this internet-style usage sounds cheesy in formal contexts)

Origin & History

Compound of 承 (to undertake/bear) and 包 (to wrap/contract). Describes taking on responsibility for a complete package of work.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal