小包
こづつみ · kodutsumi · JLPT N3 · noun
package
📦 小包 = small (ko) + wrapping (tsutsumi): a small wrapped bundle
小 (ko, small) + 包 (tsutsumi, from 包む tsutsumu, to wrap). When the two join, ts becomes dz: ko + tsutsumi gives kodzutsumi. So the word literally means a small wrapped thing, which is a parcel sent by post.
小 — three small strokes around a central vertical
小 is a pictograph originally showing three tiny dots or specks, suggesting small particles or grains. Over time the dots became stylized strokes flanking a central line. The core meaning 'small' has stayed remarkably stable from oracle bone script to today.
包 — 勹 wrap + 巳 fetus
包 is a pictograph showing a fetus (巳) wrapped inside a womb (勹, an enclosing shape). The original sense was 'to wrap' or 'enclose,' and it later extended to mean a bundle, package, or bag. It also serves as a phonetic component in many characters like 抱, 泡, and 饱.