抱歉
bào qiàn · HSK 6
sorry!
🙇 抱 (hold) + 歉 (regret) — holding regret toward someone
抱 means to hold or carry; 歉 means a deficiency or apology. Together they mean carrying regret — owing someone an apology. Common formal way to say sorry, slightly heavier than 对不起.
抱 — hand radical 扌 + wrap 包
A semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 gives the meaning, indicating an action done with the hands, while 包 ('wrap, bundle') supplies the sound 'bāo/bào' and hints at enclosing. Together they depict wrapping something in the arms — to hold, embrace, or carry.