蓋

See also: 盖

蓋 U+84CB, 蓋 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-84CB ← 蓊 [U+84CA] CJK Unified Ideographs 蓌 → [U+84CC]

Translingual

Han character

蓋 (Kangxi radical 140, 艸+10, 14 strokes in traditional Chinese and Korean, 13 strokes in mainland China and Japanese, cangjie input 廿土戈廿 (TGIT), four-corner 4410₇, composition ⿱艹盍)

Derived characters

• 壒, 濭, 瓂, 礚, 鑉, 饚

References

• KangXi: page 1051, character 12
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 31652
• Dae Jaweon: page 1513, character 9
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 5, page 3260, character 13
• Unihan data for U+84CB

Chinese

trad.		蓋
simp.		盖
alternative forms		乢 匼

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 蓋
Western Zhou	Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (盍) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
蓋	*kaːbs, *kaːb, *ɡaːb
盖	*kaːbs
溘	*kʰaːbs, *kʰoːb, *kʰaːb
搕	*qoːb
嗑	*kaːb, *ɡaːb
榼	*kʰaːb
磕	*kʰaːb, *kʰaːd
瞌	*kʰaːb
盍	*ɡaːb
闔	*ɡaːb
篕	*ɡaːb
熆	*ɡaːb
鰪	*qaːb
廅	*qaːb
圔	*qroːb
饁	*ɢrab

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *kaːbs, *kaːb, *ɡaːb): semantic 艸 (“grass”) + phonetic 盍 (OC *ɡaːb) — a thatch.

盍 is the original character for the “cover” sense. However, because this original character was borrowed to mean “why not”, the scope of senses for 蓋 expanded to include the “cover” sense (and its extended meanings).

Etymology 1

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): gài (gai⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄍㄞˋ

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): гэ (ge, III)

• Cantonese (Jyutping): goi³, koi³
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): koi

  (Meixian, Guangdong): goi⁴

• Jin (Wiktionary): gai³
• Min Dong (BUC): gái
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): kah / kòa / kài / kap / khap

  (Teochew, Peng'im): gai³ / gua³ / kam³ / koin³ / kab⁴ / gah⁴

• Wu (Wiktionary): ²ke

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: gài
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄞˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gài
    • Wade–Giles: kai⁴
    • Yale: gài
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: gay
    • Palladius: гай (gaj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kaɪ̯⁵¹/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed) (蓋兒／盖儿)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: gàir
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄞˋㄦ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gàir
    • Wade–Giles: kai⁴-ʼrh
    • Yale: gàir
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: gall
    • Palladius: гайр (gajr)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɑɻ⁵¹/

Note: Erhua-ed pronunciation - only the noun senses.

• • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: гэ (ge, III)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɛ⁴⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: goi³, koi³
    • Yale: goi, koi
    • Cantonese Pinyin: goi³, koi³
    • Guangdong Romanization: goi³, koi³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɔːi̯³³/, /kʰɔːi̯³³/

Note: koi3 - only the non-common-noun senses.

• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: koi
    • Hakka Romanization System: goi
    • Hagfa Pinyim: goi⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /koi̯⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: goi⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /koɪ⁵³/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: gai³
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /kai⁴⁵/
• Min Dong
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: gái
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɑi²¹³/
• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kah
    • Tâi-lô: kah
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kaq
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /kaʔ³²/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kaʔ⁵/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kòa
    • Tâi-lô: kuà
    • Phofsit Daibuun: koax
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kua⁴¹/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung): /kua²¹/
    • IPA (Taipei): /kua¹¹/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kài
    • Tâi-lô: kài
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kaix
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung): /kai²¹/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kai⁴¹/
    • IPA (Taipei): /kai¹¹/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kap
    • Tâi-lô: kap
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kab
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /kap̚³²/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khap
    • Tâi-lô: khap
    • Phofsit Daibuun: qab
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰap̚⁵/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /kʰap̚³²/

Note:

• kah - vernacular (“to cover”);
• kòa - vernacular (noun);
• kài - literary;
• kap - literary (“to cover”);
• khap - vernacular (“to cover”).

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: gai³ / gua³ / kam³ / koin³ / kab⁴ / gah⁴
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kài / kuà / khàm / khòiⁿ / khap / kah
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kai²¹³/, /kua²¹³/, /kʰam²¹³/, /kʰõĩ²¹³/, /kʰap̚²/, /kaʔ²/

Wu

• (Shanghainese)
  • Wiktionary: ²ke
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ke̞³⁴/

---

• Middle Chinese: /kɑiH/

Rime
Character	蓋
Reading #	1/3
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	泰 (25)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	古太切
Baxter	kajH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kɑiH/
Pan Wuyun	/kɑiH/
Shao Rongfen	/kɑiH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kajH/
Li Rong	/kɑiH/
Wang Li	/kɑiH/
Bernard Karlgren	/kɑiH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	gài
Expected Cantonese Reflex	goi3

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[k]ˤap-s/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kaːbs/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	蓋
Reading #	1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	gài
Middle Chinese	‹ kajH ›
Old Chinese	/*[k]ˁap-s/
English	cover (v.); cover (n.)
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	蓋
Reading #	1/3
No.	5069
Phonetic component	盍
Rime group	蓋
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	蓋
Old Chinese	/*kaːbs/

Definitions

蓋

1. to cover; to conceal

   蓋被／盖被 [Hokkien]  ―  kah-phōe [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  to put on a blanket

2. (figuratively) to cover up; to conceal
3. (Min Nan) to put on; to apply
4. to stamp; to affix (a seal)
5. to overwhelm; to surpass
6. to build; to construct

   蓋房子／盖房子  ―  gài fángzi  ―  to build a house

7. to talk nonsense; to chatter; to brag; to boast; to bluff
8. cover; cap; lid
9. shell (of a turtle, crab, etc.)
10. ^† thatch; straw mat
11. ^† canopy
12. (dialectal) excellent; fantastic
13. (Zhangzhou and Taiwanese Hokkien, Southern Sixian Hakka) very

    • 該係蓋久蓋久个以前，𠊎還蓋細蓋細个時節，𠊎還蓋細蓋細个時節 [Sixian Hakka, trad.]
      该系盖久盖久个以前，𠊎还盖细盖细个时节，𠊎还盖细盖细个时节 [Sixian Hakka, simp.]

      From: 2006, 林姿君, 匍背 (Hunchback)

      Te he koi kiú koi kiú e yî-chhièn, ngài hàn koi se koi se e sṳ̀-chiet, ngài hàn koi se koi se e sṳ̀-chiet [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ]

      That is a very, very long time ago, when I was still very, very small, when I was still very, very small.

    • 腔口趣味雖然不知講啥，勿擱實在蓋好聽。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
      腔口趣味虽然不知讲啥，勿搁实在盖好听。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]

      From: 2016,陳隨意, 鹿港思帶路

      Khiuⁿ-kháu chhù-bī sui-liân m̄ chai kóng siáⁿ, m̄-koh si̍t-chāi kài hó-thiaⁿ. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

      The accent is interesting; though not understandable, it actually sounds really nice.

14. ^† probably; roughly
15. ^† for; because
16. a surname

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 蓋 (“to cover; to conceal”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		蓋
Mandarin	Beijing	蓋
	Taiwan	蓋
	Jinan	蓋
	Xi'an	蓋
	Wuhan	蓋, 㝩, 垛
	Chengdu	蓋, 㝩
	Yangzhou	蓋
	Hefei	蓋
	Singapore	蓋
Cantonese	Guangzhou	蓋, 冚, 扱
	Hong Kong	冚, 扱
	Yangjiang	扱
Gan	Nanchang	蓋, 㔶, 盍
Hakka	Meixian	蓋, 弇
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	弇
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	弇
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	弇
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	弇
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	弇
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	揜
Jin	Taiyuan	蓋
Min Bei	Jian'ou	㔶𱔴
Min Dong	Fuzhou	㔶, 㪠
Min Nan	Xiamen	崁
	Quanzhou	崁
	Zhangzhou	崁
	Singapore (Hokkien)	崁
	Chaozhou	蓋, 崁
	Shantou	蓋
	Jieyang	蓋, 崁
Wu	Suzhou	蓋
	Wenzhou	㔶, 蓋
Xiang	Changsha	蓋
	Shuangfeng	蓋, 㔶

Dialectal synonyms of 蓋 (“to build; to construct (a building)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		蓋, 建, 建造, 建築, 興建, 修建
Mandarin	Beijing	蓋
	Taiwan	蓋
	Harbin	蓋
	Yantai (Muping)	蓋
	Jinan	蓋
	Wanrong	蓋
	Xi'an	蓋
	Yinchuan	蓋
	Lanzhou	蓋
	Xining	蓋
	Ürümqi	蓋, 起
	Chengdu	修, 起
	Guiyang	起, 修
	Liuzhou	起
	Xuzhou	起
	Yangzhou	蓋
	Nanjing	蓋, 造
	Singapore	建
Cantonese	Guangzhou	起
	Hong Kong	起
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	起
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	起
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	起
	Taishan	起
	Dongguan	起
	Rongxian	起
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	起
	Hepu (Shatian)	做
	Guiping	起
	Guiping (Mule)	起, 整
	Pingnan	起
	Guigang (Gangcheng)	起
	Guigang (Pingdong)	起
	Beihai	起
	Beihai (Nankang)	起
	Beihai (Yingpan)	起
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	起, 做
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	起
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	做
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	起, 搭
	Singapore (Guangfu)	起
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	起
	Móng Cái	起
	Bangkok (Guangfu)	起
	Betong (Rongxian)	起
Gan	Nanchang	起
	Lichuan	做
	Pingxiang	起
Hakka	Meixian	起, 做
	Yudu	做
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	起
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	起
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	起
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	起
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	起
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	起
	Hong Kong	起
	Senai (Huiyang)	起
Huizhou	Jixi	起
Jin	Taiyuan	蓋
	Xinzhou	蓋
Min Bei	Jian'ou	開
Min Dong	Fuzhou	起
	Matsu	起
Min Nan	Xiamen	起
	Quanzhou	起
	Zhangzhou	起
	Tainan	起
	Singapore (Hokkien)	起
	Chaozhou	起
	Shantou	起
	Jieyang	起
	Bangkok (Teochew)	起
	Chiang Mai (Teochew)	起
	Hat Yai (Teochew)	起
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	起
	Singapore (Teochew)	起
	Leizhou	作
	Haikou	作
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	起
Wu	Shanghai	造
	Shanghai (Chongming)	造, 起
	Suzhou	造
	Danyang	砌
	Hangzhou	造
	Ningbo	起
	Jinhua	起
Xiang	Changsha	起
	Loudi	起

Dialectal synonyms of 蓋子 (“cover; lid”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		蓋子, 蓋
Mandarin	Beijing	蓋兒, 蓋子
	Taiwan	蓋子
	Singapore	蓋
Cantonese	Guangzhou	蓋
	Hong Kong	蓋
Hakka	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	蓋仔
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	蓋仔
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	蓋仔
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	蓋
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	蓋仔
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	蓋
Jin	Taiyuan	蓋蓋
Min Nan	Xiamen	蓋, 崁
	Quanzhou	蓋, 崁
	Zhangzhou	蓋, 崁
	Tainan	蓋
	Penang (Hokkien)	蓋
	Singapore (Hokkien)	蓋, 崁
	Shantou	蓋
	Jieyang	蓋

Dialectal synonyms of 很 (“very”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		甚, 孔
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		很, 非常, 十分
Mandarin	Beijing	挺, 很, 倍兒, 怪
	Taiwan	很, 好, 非常, 超, 蠻, 超級
	Tianjin	挺, 很, 傻, 老, 倍兒, 齁兒
	Jinan	挺, 楞
	Xi'an	很
	Wuhan	蠻, 很
	Chengdu	很, 好
	Chongqing	很
	Yangzhou	蠻, 稀, 很
	Hefei	很
	Malaysia	很
	Singapore	很, 蠻, 非常
Cantonese	Guangzhou	好, 非常之
	Hong Kong	好, 非常, 非常之, 超, 勁, 十分之
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	好
	Taishan	好, 十分之
	Yangjiang	好
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	好
	Singapore (Guangfu)	好, 非常之, 非常
Gan	Nanchang	蠻
Hakka	Meixian	好, 刮, 已, 還, 異, 還 exclamation
	Huidong (Daling)	好
	Wuhua (Meilin)	好
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	頂
	Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)	好
	Changting	野
	Wuping (Pingyu)	已, 刮
	Liancheng	樣
	Ninghua	好
	Ruijin	蠻
	Shicheng	蠻
	Shangyou (Shexi)	蠻
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	當, 已, 還
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	蓋, 盡, 還
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	當, 盡, 已, 還
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	當, 已, 還
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	當, 已, 還
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	足, 真, 實在
	Hong Kong	好
	Sabah (Bao'an)	好
	Kuching (Hepo)	很
	Singapore (Dabu)	好
Jin	Taiyuan	很, 挺
Min Bei	Jian'ou	盡
Min Dong	Fuzhou	野, 真
	Singapore (Fuqing)	真
	Sitiawan (Gutian)	真
Min Nan	Xiamen	真, 野, 誠, 有夠, 萬代, 死人, 非常, 真正
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	真
	Quanzhou	真, 野, 誠, 有夠, 萬代, 死人
	Jinjiang	野
	Zhangzhou	盡, 蓋, 足, 足範, 有夠, 出奇, 極死, 見死, 死了了, 死人
	Zhao'an	很, 真, 死絕, 好, 非常
	Dongshan	真, 非常
	Taipei	真, 誠
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	真, 誠
	Kaohsiung	有夠, 足, 真, 誠, 蓋
	Yilan	有夠, 足, 誠, 盡
	Changhua (Lukang)	真, 誠
	Taichung	誠, 蓋, 足
	Tainan	有夠, 足, 真, 誠, 蓋
	Hsinchu	真, 誠
	Kinmen	足, 誠
	Penghu (Magong)	真, 誠
	Penang (Hokkien)	真, 誠, 真正
	Singapore (Hokkien)	真, 死爸, 真正, 誠, 足, 有夠
	Manila (Hokkien)	野, 真, 萬代, 真正
	Chaozhou	過, 好, 非常, 死爸
	Shantou	過, 鐵, 好, 很, 死爸, 死絕
	Shantou (Chenghai)	好, 死絕
	Shantou (Chaoyang)	好, 非常
	Jieyang	過, 好, 死爸, 死絕
	Bangkok (Teochew)	好
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	好
	Singapore (Teochew)	真, 死爸, 非常
	Wenchang	極, 但顧, 真
	Haikou	但顧
	Qionghai	但顧, 真
	Singapore (Hainanese)	但顧, 真
Zhongshan Min	Shaxi (Longdu)	好, 蠻
Wu	Shanghai	蠻, 老, 邪氣, 老老, 瞎, 絕, 十分, 十二萬分, 非常, 非常之, 畢, 畢畢, 來得, 來得個, 煞, 交關, 十二分 rare, 窮 dated, 野 dated, 邪 dated
	Suzhou	蠻, 窮
	Hangzhou	蠻, 交關, 木佬佬, 冒
	Ningbo	交關, 蠻, 堪, 𠊉好, 𠊉派, 甮派, 出格, 木牢牢 rare, 猛 rare
	Zhoushan	交關, 蠻, 猛, 堪, 出格, 木牢牢 rare
	Wenzhou	蠻, 蒙, 顯
Xiang	Changsha	很, 蠻
	Shuangfeng	蠻

Compounds

Derived terms from 蓋

• 上蓋／上盖
• 亂蓋／乱盖
• 依蓋爾其／依盖尔其
• 修蓋／修盖
• 傾蓋／倾盖
• 傾蓋定交／倾盖定交
• 傾蓋相逢／倾盖相逢
• 傾蓋而語／倾盖而语
• 冠蓋／冠盖
• 冠蓋如雲／冠盖如云
• 冠蓋相屬／冠盖相属
• 冠蓋相望／冠盖相望
• 冠蓋雲集／冠盖云集
• 冠蓋高舉／冠盖高举
• 劈頭蓋臉／劈头盖脸
• 區蓋／区盖
• 口蓋／口盖
• 天地蓋載／天地盖载
• 天靈蓋／天灵盖
• 寶蓋／宝盖
• 寶蓋山／宝盖山
• 屋下蓋屋／屋下盖屋
• 帷蓋／帷盖
• 帷蓋不棄／帷盖不弃
• 幡蓋／幡盖
• 幢蓋／幢盖
• 拔山蓋世／拔山盖世
• 捂捂蓋蓋／捂捂盖盖
• 捂蓋子／捂盖子
• 捲鋪蓋／卷铺盖
• 掖掖蓋蓋／掖掖盖盖
• 掩蓋／掩盖
• 揭蓋兒／揭盖儿
• 揭蓋子／揭盖子
• 搭蓋／搭盖
• 摀蓋／𰓆盖
• 敷蓋物／敷盖物
• 方底圓蓋／方底圆盖
• 旛蓋／旛盖
• 明鋪夜蓋／明铺夜盖
• 曲蓋／曲盖
• 朱轓皂蓋／朱𰺜皂盖

• 杭蓋／杭盖
• 欲蓋彌彰／欲盖弥彰
• 氣蓋山河／气盖山河
• 油蓋／油盖
• 波羅蓋／波罗盖
• 涵蓋／涵盖
• 渾蓋／浑盖
• 漫天蓋地／漫天盖地
• 瓶蓋／瓶盖
• 磕膝蓋／磕膝盖
• 程孔傾蓋／程孔倾盖
• 穴寶蓋兒／穴宝盖儿
• 立馬蓋橋／立马盖桥
• 籠蓋／笼盖
• 羽蓋／羽盖
• 翠蓋／翠盖
• 翻蓋／翻盖
• 膝蓋／膝盖
• 膝蓋骨／膝盖骨
• 臭蓋／臭盖
• 菌蓋／菌盖
• 華蓋／华盖
• 蓆蓋子／席盖子
• 蓋世／盖世
• 蓋世之才／盖世之才
• 蓋世功勛／盖世功勋
• 蓋世太保／盖世太保
• 蓋世無雙／盖世无双
• 蓋世雄才／盖世雄才
• 蓋人／盖人
• 蓋仙／盖仙
• 蓋代／盖代
• 蓋住／盖住
• 蓋印／盖印
• 蓋喧／盖喧
• 蓋壤／盖壤
• 蓋天板／盖天板
• 蓋子／盖子
• 蓋孜力克／盖孜力克
• 蓋孜庫木／盖孜库木
• 蓋帽／盖帽
• 蓋愆／盖愆

• 蓋抹／盖抹
• 蓋柿／盖柿
• 蓋棺事定／盖棺事定
• 蓋棺論定／盖棺论定
• 蓋火／盖火
• 蓋火鍋／盖火锅
• 蓋然性／盖然性
• 蓋盅兒／盖盅儿
• 蓋碗／盖碗
• 蓋章／盖章
• 蓋老／盖老
• 蓋臉／盖脸
• 蓋菜／盖菜
• 蓋藏／盖藏
• 蓋覆／盖覆
• 蓋造／盖造
• 蓋闕／盖阙
• 蓋頭／盖头
• 蓋飯／盖饭
• 覆蓋／覆盖
• 跛羅蓋子／跛罗盖子
• 車蓋／车盖
• 遮天蓋地／遮天盖地
• 遮天蓋日／遮天盖日
• 遮蓋／遮盖
• 鋪天蓋地／铺天盖地
• 鍋蓋／锅盖
• 雨蓋／雨盖
• 靈蓋／灵盖
• 頭蓋骨／头盖骨
• 飛蓋／飞盖
• 馬子蓋／马子盖
• 馬桶蓋／马桶盖
• 馬蓋先／马盖先
• 鰓蓋／鳃盖
• 鳳蓋／凤盖
• 麥蓋提／麦盖提
• 麾蓋／麾盖
• 黃旗紫蓋／黄旗紫盖
• 黃沙蓋面／黄沙盖面
• 黃蓋／黄盖
• 鼎蓋／鼎盖

See also

• 捂 (wǔ)

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): gài, hé (gai⁴, he²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄍㄞˋ, ㄏㄜˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): hap⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: gài
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄞˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gài
    • Wade–Giles: kai⁴
    • Yale: gài
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: gay
    • Palladius: гай (gaj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kaɪ̯⁵¹/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, literary)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: hé
    • Zhuyin: ㄏㄜˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: hé
    • Wade–Giles: ho²
    • Yale: hé
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: her
    • Palladius: хэ (xɛ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xɤ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: hap⁶
    • Yale: hahp
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hap⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: heb⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɐp̚²/

---

• Middle Chinese: /ɦɑp̚/

Rime
Character	蓋
Reading #	2/3
Initial (聲)	匣 (33)
Final (韻)	談 (144)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	胡臘切
Baxter	hap
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦɑp̚/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦɑp̚/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣɑp̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦap̚/
Li Rong	/ɣɑp̚/
Wang Li	/ɣɑp̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/ɣɑp̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	hé
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hap6

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*m-[k]ˤap/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɡaːb/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	蓋
Reading #	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	hé
Middle Chinese	‹ hap ›
Old Chinese	/*m-[k]ˁap/
English	thatch, cover (v.)
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	蓋
Reading #	3/3
No.	5083
Phonetic component	盍
Rime group	盍
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	盍
Old Chinese	/*ɡaːb/

Definitions

蓋

1. (obsolete) Alternative form of 盍 (hé, “to cover; to join together; thatch”).
2. (obsolete) Alternative form of 闔／阖 (hé, “door leaf”).

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): Gě (Ge³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄍㄜˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): gap³
• Min Nan (POJ): Khap

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Gě
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄜˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Gě
    • Wade–Giles: Ko³
    • Yale: Gě
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Gee
    • Palladius: Гэ (Gɛ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɤ²¹⁴/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: gap³
    • Yale: gap
    • Cantonese Pinyin: gap⁸
    • Guangdong Romanization: geb³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɐp̚³/
• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Khap
    • Tâi-lô: Khap
    • Phofsit Daibuun: qab
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰap̚⁵/
    • IPA (Xiamen): /kʰap̚³²/

---

• Middle Chinese: /kɑp̚/

Rime
Character	蓋
Reading #	3/3
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	談 (144)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	古盍切
Baxter	kap
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kɑp̚/
Pan Wuyun	/kɑp̚/
Shao Rongfen	/kɑp̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kap̚/
Li Rong	/kɑp̚/
Wang Li	/kɑp̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/kɑp̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	ge
Expected Cantonese Reflex	gap3

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*kaːb/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	蓋
Reading #	2/3
No.	5075
Phonetic component	盍
Rime group	盍
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	䫦
Old Chinese	/*kaːb/

Definitions

蓋

1. (～邑) (historical) Ge (a city in the ancient state of Qi in modern-day Yishui County, Shandong)
2. a surname

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): hé (he²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄏㄜˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): hap⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: hé
    • Zhuyin: ㄏㄜˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: hé
    • Wade–Giles: ho²
    • Yale: hé
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: her
    • Palladius: хэ (xɛ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xɤ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: hap⁶
    • Yale: hahp
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hap⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: heb⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɐp̚²/

---

• Middle Chinese: /ɦɑp̚/

Rime
Character	蓋
Reading #	2/3
Initial (聲)	匣 (33)
Final (韻)	談 (144)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	胡臘切
Baxter	hap
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦɑp̚/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦɑp̚/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣɑp̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦap̚/
Li Rong	/ɣɑp̚/
Wang Li	/ɣɑp̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/ɣɑp̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	hé
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hap6

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɡaːb/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	蓋
Reading #	3/3
No.	5083
Phonetic component	盍
Rime group	盍
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	盍
Old Chinese	/*ɡaːb/

Definitions

蓋

1. (obsolete) Alternative form of 盍 (hé, “how; why”).

   • 人生世上，勢位富貴，蓋可忽乎哉？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     人生世上，势位富贵，盖可忽乎哉？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuries BCE

     Rénshēng shìshàng, shìwèi fùguì, hé kě hū hū zāi? [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this example)

2. (obsolete) Alternative form of 盍 (hé, “why not”).

   • 晉獻公將殺其世子申生，公子重耳謂之曰：「子蓋言子之志於公乎？」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     晋献公将杀其世子申生，公子重耳谓之曰：“子盖言子之志于公乎？” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE

     Jìn Xiàn Gōng jiāng shā qí shì zǐ Shēnshēng, gōngzǐ Chóngěr wèi zhī yuē: “Zǐ hé yán zǐ zhī zhì yú gōng hū?” [Pinyin]

     Duke Xian of Jin, intending to put to death his heir-son Shen-sheng, another son, Chong-er, said to the latter, "Why do you not tell what is in your mind to the duke?"

   • 子貢曰：「夫子之道至大也，故天下莫能容夫子。夫子蓋少貶焉？」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子贡曰：“夫子之道至大也，故天下莫能容夫子。夫子盖少贬焉？” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Zǐgòng yuē: “Fūzǐ zhī dào zhì dà yě, gù tiānxià mò néng róng fūzǐ. Fūzǐ hé shǎo biǎn yān?” [Pinyin]

     Zigong said, "Master, your philosophy is the greatest, and thus no one in the world can accept you. Why do you, Master, not slightly lower your standards?"

References

• “Entry #10820”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan] (in Chinese and Min Nan), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2011.

Japanese

Kanji

蓋

(common “Jōyō” kanji)

1. cover
2. lid
3. flap

Readings

• Go-on: かい (kai); ごう (gō)
• Kan-on: かい (kai); こう (kō)
• Kan’yō-on: がい (gai, Jōyō)
• Kun: ふた (futa, 蓋, Jōyō); けだし (kedashi, 蓋し); おおう (ōu, 蓋う); かさ (kasa, 蓋)

Compounds

Compounds

• 膝蓋(しつがい) (shitsugai): patella, kneecap

Etymology

Kanji in this term
蓋
ふた Grade: S
kun’yomi

Noun

蓋(ふた) • (futa) 

1. lid; cap; cover; (malacology) operculum

   箱(はこ)のふた ― hako no futa ― box lid

   ビンの蓋(ふた) ― bin no futa ― cap of a bottle

Korean

Hanja

蓋 (eumhun 덮을 개 (deopeul gae))

1. Hanja form^? of 개 (“cover”).

Vietnamese

Han character

蓋: Hán Nôm readings: cái

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.