How to Write 褓 (bǎo) — Meaning “swaddling clothes”

Picture a baby wrapped in a cozy blanket (the clothing radical on the left). The right side 保 sounds like "bao" as in "bǎo bèi" (baby), so think "baby protected by cloth." This links the shape and sound to the meaning of swaddling.

The left radical 衤 has two short strokes on the left side, not three — never confuse it with 示. The right part 保 has a dot on top of 亻, and the bottom 木 must be written with the horizontal stroke crossing through the vertical. Keep the left and right sides balanced; the character is 14 strokes total.

褓 uses 保 on the right and means swaddling clothes. 裎 (chéng) has 呈 on the right and means to take off clothes or be naked. 裕 (yù) has 谷 on the right and means abundant or wealthy. All share the 衤 radical, but the right-side components give completely different meanings and pronunciations.

褓 appears mainly in the word 襁褓 (qiǎng bǎo), which refers to swaddling clothes or can metaphorically mean infancy. It is not common in daily conversation; you will find it in formal or literary texts. Culturally, 襁褓 symbolizes the earliest stage of life, emphasizing care and protection.

Common words containing 褓 include: 襁褓 (qiǎng bǎo) — swaddling clothes or infancy; 襁褓时期 (qiǎng bǎo shí qī) — infancy or the swaddling stage; 褓抱 (bǎo bào) — to carry a baby in swaddling clothes.