包袱 bāofu wrapping cloth
wrapping cloth; a bundle wrapped in cloth; load; weight; burden; funny part; punchline
How to remember 包袱: 包 parcel + 袱 wrapping cloth = wrapping cloth.
Characters
How it is used
- Literally a cloth bundle, but usually figurative 'a burden' - 思想包袱 (sīxiǎng bāofu) a mental/psychological burden.
- Note 袱 = fu (neutral tone); 放下包袱 = shed one's burden.
- In comedy (相声), the 包袱 is the punchline - 抖包袱 deliver the gag.