Taxonomy of meanings for 抱:　　

  • 抱 bào (OC: buuʔ MC: bɑu) 薄浩切 上 廣韻：【持也説文曰引取也薄浩切一 】
    • EMBRACE
      • vtoNembrace; carry in one's arms, carry along in one's arms; hold in one's arms
      • vtoNfigurativeembrace, cover
      • vtoNpassiveget hugged
      • overlap and>INTERACT
        • vtoNfigurativeoverlap and interact
      • what one can hold in one's arms>MEASURES
        • physiological base> (lower)CHEST
        • generalised>HOLD
          • vtoNhold in one's armsCH
          • vtoNhold in one's armsCH
        • specific> (of birds) BROOD ON
          • object>CHICK
            • generalised>FEED
                • abstract>CULTIVATE
                  • vtoNcultivate as basically important (the law)
            • and move with what one holds>CARRY
              • vtoNcarry along in one's arms
          • INTERACT
            • vtoNfigurativeoverlap and interact
        • bàoCONTAIN
          • vtoNcontain, comportCH
          • vtoNderivedcontain, comportCH
        • bàoCONTAIN
          • vtoNcontain, comportCH
          • vtoNderivedcontain, comportCH

        Additional information about 抱

        說文解字: 【捊】，引取也。从手、孚聲。 〔小徐本下有「《詩》曰：原隰捊矣。」〕 【步矦切】 【抱】，捊或从包。 【臣鉉等曰：今作薄報切，以爲褱袌字，非是。】 〔小徐本此字次於「掇」字之後。〕

          Criteria
        • CARRY

          1. The commonest words refer to carrying things on one's back is fù 負, and the word is also common in figurative senses.

          2. Dān 擔 refer to carrying things on a shoulder pole, but the word is still fairly rare in pre-Buddhist texts.

          3. Hè 荷 is to carry over one's shoulder, sometimes on a pole.

          4. Rén 任 refers to bearing something in one's arms.

          5. Huái 懷 and bào 抱 can refer to carrying things in one's arms so as to protect them. See also EMBRACE

          6. Dài 帶 is specifically to carry things along on one's belt, but the word is used more generally for "take along" also in ancient texts.

          7. Pèi 佩 is to wear or carry very small objects on the waist. See WEAR

          8. Qiè 挈 is to carry fairly small objects with one arm.

          9. Gāng 扛 refers to lifting and possibly also carrying along heavy objects, typically as a feat. See primarily LIFT

          NP: Káng 扛 "carry on one's shoulders" is a late colloquialism.

        • EMBRACE

          1. The most general current word is bào 抱, and the word refers both to physical embracing and to metaphorical mental embracing of thoughts.

          2. Huái 懷, though originally literal in meaning, came to be used predominantly in transferred senses for the embracing of thoughts and feelings.

          3. Yóng 擁 can occasionally refer to one-armed hug, or to the holding of something in one arm, mostly affectionately.