裹

• Pinyin: guǒ
• Hanzi breakdown: 裹 = 衣 (clothing, split as top and bottom) + 果 (fruit) — clothing wrapped around a core

Meaning

To wrap; to bind; to envelop something by folding material tightly around it.

Used for wrapping with cloth, bandages, leaves, or other flexible materials. Implies a snug or complete enclosure. Common in medical, culinary, and figurative contexts. Often paired with 住 (裹住) to indicate complete wrapping, or used in 裹挟 meaning to be swept up in a force.

Examples

1. 护士仔细地用绷带将伤者的手臂裹好，以防感染。 The nurse carefully wrapped the injured person's arm in a bandage to prevent infection.
2. 老奶奶用厚厚的棉被将孩子裹得严严实实，生怕他受凉。 Grandma bundled the child up tightly in a thick quilt, afraid he'd catch a chill.
3. 浓雾将整座城市裹在一片白茫茫之中，能见度极低。 Heavy fog wrapped the entire city in a vast whiteness, and visibility was extremely low.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, daily life, weather, food preparation

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 天气寒冷，他把围巾紧紧地裹在脖子上，迎着风向前走。(In the cold weather, he tightly wrapped his scarf around his neck and walked forward into the wind.)
• 粽叶将糯米和馅料紧实地裹在一起，蒸熟后格外香软。(The bamboo leaves wrap the glutinous rice and filling tightly together; after steaming they are delightfully fragrant and tender.)

Don't Say

• 我裹了个包 — for wrapping packages use 打包 or 包装; 裹 suits soft, textile-style wrapping, not packaging

Origin & History

裹 = 衣 (clothing radical, split around 果) — clothing wrapped around a core, like fruit skin enveloping its flesh

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal