括

Tap the pinyin to hear it

(bound form) to tie up; to tighten up; (bound form) to include; to comprise; to put (text) in brackets; Taiwan pr. [gua1]

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

扌 meaning “hand” + 舌 sound ( shé )

Components 扌舌

include · Heisig RSH #597

fingers + 舌 tongue

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
方头括号	fāng tóu kuò hào	lenticular brackets (【】 or 〖〗)
大括号	dà kuò hào	braces; curly brackets { }
中括号	zhōng kuò hào	square brackets [ ]
小括号	xiǎo kuò hào	round brackets; parentheses ( )
花括号	huā kuò hào	braces; curly brackets { }
六角括号	liù jiǎo kuò hào	tortoise shell brackets 〔〕
方括号	fāng kuò hào	square brackets [ ]
耳括子	ěr guā zi	variant of 耳刮子[er3 gua1 zi5]
圆括号	yuán kuò hào	parentheses; round brackets ( )
尖括号	jiān kuò hào	angle brackets < >
括线	kuò xiàn	(math.) vinculum
括约肌	kuò yuē jī	sphincter
包括	bāo kuò	to comprise; to include; to involve; to incorporate; to consist of
括号	kuò hào	parentheses; brackets
括毒	kuò dú	(literary) malicious; spiteful
总括	zǒng kuò	to sum up; all-inclusive
概括化	gài kuò huà	generalization
简括	jiǎn kuò	brief but comprehensive; compendious
囊括	náng kuò	to include; to embrace; to bring together
大括弧	dà kuò hú	braces; curly brackets { }

Characters sharing the sound component 舌 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
舌 sound part	shé	tongue; bell clapper
活	huó	to exist, to live, to survive; living, working
舍	shè	house, dwelling; to reside, to dwell; to abandon, to give up
适	shì	match, comfortable; just
刮	guā	to shave; to scrape; to blow
恬	tián	calm, peaceful; quiet, tranquil
蛞	kuò	snail, slug; mole cricket
栝	guā	a builder's frame for measuring
鸹	guā	crow