胞 means “cell, sac”

ほう · hou

Also: placenta, sheath

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ホウ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 9 strokes

The story

Flesh (月) wrapped (包) around something: the body's tiny sacs and packages. 細胞 is a cell, 胞子 a spore, and 同胞, born of the same womb, is a word for your fellow countrymen.

Used in 細胞 (saibou, cell), 胞子 (houshi, spore), and 同胞 (douhou, compatriots)

More from Inner Organs

• 肺 lung
• 胆 gallbladder
• 脈 pulse
• 髄 marrow
• 腎 kidney
• 膜 membrane
• 腸 intestines
• 肪 fat
• 椎 vertebra
• 剖 dissect
• 泌 secrete
• 脊 spine

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.