囊
náng
bag, purse, sack; to put in a bag
Meaning
Noun: A flexible, portable container made of textile or skin. The scale—ranging from small pouches (for coins, medicine, or tokens) to larger sacks (for provisions like grain or salt)—is determined by the context and contents described.
Specialized: In anatomical contexts, refers to bladder-like organs (e.g., the gallbladder).
Grammar and usage
Verb: To put into a bag. Depending on context, this may imply storage (preserving for future use) or concealment (sequestering an object).
Distinctions
Contrast with 袋 (dài): While often interchangeable as "bag," 囊 can denote a more specialized or personal pouch, whereas 袋 is typically a more generic term for a carrying bag. If both appear in the same text, look for a contrast between small/personal and large/general containers.
Graphical notes
The 衣 (clothing) radical indicates the textile nature of the container.
Translator notes
Focus on the physical properties of the container—portability, flexibility, and enclosure. Avoid projecting modern idioms regarding "guarantees" onto this glyph in classical contexts.
Decontextualized translator aid. This page describes plausible lexical range; it does not choose what the glyph means in a particular passage.