How do you say tree in chinese
Complete Guide to Trees in Chinese (Names, Vocab and More)
Want to learn all the different kinds of trees in Mandarin Chinese? Then you’ve come to the right place.
Trees are an essential part of Chinese culture and have been featured in literature throughout China’s history. For example, pine trees are much admired and venerated in China as the symbol of integrity, perseverance, and longevity. They stand in the cold on top of a mountain, with essential and unyielding character.
Knowing how to say the name of trees is an important part of learning Chinese. We will cover those, as well as some tree-related words and phrases in the Chinese language. At the end of this post, we’ll give you some example sentences so you can put the vocabulary to use.
Let’s get started.
Tree in ChineseThe basic word for “tree” in Chinese is 树 (shù), which is easy to remember as it sounds similar to the English word “shoe” pronounced with a fourth tone. (Read more on Mandarin tones).
If you are only talking about one tree in Chinese, 树 (shù) is the word to use. However, sometimes when you are talking about a group of trees, you may also want to refer to them as 树木 (shùmù), a collective noun for trees in general. For example, if you are talking about the trees in a forest.
Measure Word for TreesChinese nouns don’t have plural forms. So to say “trees” in Chinese, you still say 树 (shù). However, when you quantify nouns, the numbers must be combined with a measure word that corresponds with the object being counted.
The measure word for tree in Chinese is (棵 kē). Here’s how you count trees in Chinese:
- a/one tree
一棵树
yì kē shù
- two trees
两棵树
liǎng kē shù
- a hundred trees
一百棵树
yì bǎi kē shù
If you’re not sure why we say 两棵树 (liǎng kē shù) instead of 二棵树 (èr kē shù) for “two trees”, we have this entire article dedicated to explaining the confusing number “two” in Chinese. And if you don’t know how to count in Chinese yet, you might want to start with our Chinese number tutorial.
Ready to learn the names of trees in Chinese? The following table presents the Chinese names of major types of trees in the world alongside their Pinyin pronunciations and English translations to help you learn. (Bamboo isn’t technically a tree, but we thought you might be interested in knowing its Chinese name as well.)
English | Chinese | Pinyin Pronunciation |
bamboo | 竹子 | zhúzi |
birch tree | 桦树 | huà shù |
cedar tree | 雪松 | xuěsōng |
cherry tree | 樱花树 | yīnghuā shù |
chestnut tree | 栗子树 | lìzi shù |
cypress tree | 柏树 | bǎi shù |
elm tree | 榆树 | yú shù |
fig tree | 无花果树 | wúhuāguǒ shù |
ginkgo tree | 银杏树 | yín xìng shù |
maple tree | 枫树 | fēng shù |
oak tree | 橡树 | xiàng shù |
palm tree | 棕榈树 | zōnglǘ shù |
pine tree | 松树 | sōng shù |
poplar tree | 杨树 | yáng shù |
spruce tree | 云杉 | yúnshān |
walnut tree | 核桃树 | hétáo shù |
willow tree | 柳树 | liǔ shù |
We are not done with Chinese trees yet! Here we discuss the names of common fruit trees in Chinese.
English | Chinese | Pinyin Pronunciation |
apple tree | 苹果树 | píngguǒ shù |
banana tree | 香蕉树 | xiāngjiāo shù |
coconut tree | 椰子树 | yēzi shù |
hawthorn tree | 山楂树 | shānzhā shù |
lemon tree | 柠檬树 | níngméng shù |
mango tree | 芒果树 | mángguǒ shù |
mulberry tree | 桑树 | sāng shù |
olive tree | 橄榄树 | gǎnlǎn shù |
orange tree | 橘子树 | júzi shù |
peach tree | 桃树 | táo shù |
pear tree | 梨树 | lí shù |
plum tree | 李子树 | lǐzi shù |
fruit tree | 果树 | guǒ shù |
Related Reading: Fruits in Mandarin
Parts of a Tree in ChineseTrees are key elements in nature, and each part of a tree plays an important role. Let’s learn the parts of the trees in Mandarin Chinese.
English | Chinese | Pinyin Pronunciation |
leaves | 树叶 | shù yè |
crown | 树冠 | shù guān |
branch | 树枝 | shù zhī |
trunk | 树干 | shù gàn |
bark | 树皮 | shù pí |
roots | 树根 | shù gēn |
Prefer visual learning? Simply move your mouse on the picture below and you’ll see the words in Chinese that compose the tree.
leaves
树叶
shù yè
1 of 6
- « Previous
- Next »
crown
树冠
shù guān
2 of 6
- « Previous
- Next »
branch
树枝
shù zhī
3 of 6
- « Previous
- Next »
trunk
树干
shù gàn
4 of 6
- « Previous
- Next »
roots
树根
shù gēn
5 of 6
- « Previous
- Next »
bark
树皮
shù pí
6 of 6
- « Previous
- Next »
Now let’s learn some of the most commonly used Chinese words and phrases regarding the trees.
English | Chinese | Pinyin Pronunciation |
climb trees | 爬树 | pá shù |
in/on the tree | 树上 | shù shàng |
under the tree | 树下 | shù xià |
tree hollow | 树洞 | shù dòng |
the shade of a tree | 树荫 | shù yīn |
plant trees (informal) | 种树 | zhòng shù |
plant trees (formal) | 植树 | zhí shù |
Arbor Day | 植树节 | zhí shù jié |
cut down trees | 砍树 | kǎn shù |
wood | 木 | mù |
trees, grass and flowers | 花草树木 | huā cǎo shù mù |
forest | 森林 | sēnlín |
Christmas tree | 圣诞树 | shèngdàn shù |
treehouse | 树屋 | shù wū |
Now is the time to use the Chinese tree vocabulary in context. Practice the following sentences and you’ll develop your knowledge of Chinese grammar and Chinese sentence structure.
- 这颗松树已经三百五十岁了。
Zhè kē sōng shù yǐjīng sān bǎi wǔ shí suì le.
This pine tree is three hundred and fifty years old.
- 我家门前有一棵柳树。
Wǒ jiā mén qián yǒu yī kē liǔ shù.
There is a willow tree in front of my house.
- 这颗树真是太高了!
Zhè kē shù zhēn shì tài gāo le!
This tree is so tall!
- 小时候我经常爬树。
Xiǎo shíhou wǒ jīngcháng pá shù.
I used to climb trees when I was a kid.
- 树上有两只鸟,你看到了吗?
Shù shàng yǒu liǎng zhī niǎo, nǐ kàn dào le ma?
There are two birds on the tree, do you see them?
- 这个院子种了很多桃树和梨树。
Zhè gè yuànzi zhòng le hěn duō táo shù hé lí shù.
There are many peach and pear trees in this yard.
- 这棵树的树皮可以用来做中药。
Zhè kē shù de shù pí kěyǐ yòng lái zuò zhōngyào.
The bark of this tree can be used for traditional Chinese medicine.
- 秋天到了,树木开始落叶了。
Qiūtiān dào le, shùmù kāishǐ luò yè le.
Autumn is here and the trees are starting to lose their leaves.
- 停止砍树,拯救森林。
Tíngzhǐ kǎn shù, zhěngjiù sēnlín.
Stop cutting down trees and save the forest.
- 圣诞树下满是礼物。
Shèngdàn shù xià mǎn shì lǐwù.
There are many presents under the Christmas tree.
We’ve covered a lot of information about trees in Chinese in this post. But if you’re in the mood for more, here are four popular Chinese idiomatic expressions featuring trees to take your Chinese to the next level.
摇钱树 (yáo qián shù)“the tree that sheds coins when shaken”
Meaning: the goose that laid the golden eggs; cash cow
Example:
- 别把孩子当成摇钱树。
Bié bǎ háizi dāng chéng yáo qián shù.
Stop treating kids as cash cows.
“iron tree blossoms”
Meaning: something rarely seen or hardly possible
Example:
- 一向小气的老板竟然给我发了红包,真是铁树开花了。
Yíxiàng xiǎoqì de lǎobǎn jìngrán gěi wǒ fā le hóngbāo, zhēn shì tiě shù kāi huā le.
My boss, who has always been stingy, actually gave me a red envelope. This is really like an iron tree blooming.
“big trees attract the wind”
Meaning: famous people attract criticism easily
Example:
- 我觉得做人还是低调点, 毕竟树大招风!
Wǒ juéde zuò rén háishì dīdiào diǎn, bìjìng shù dà zhāo fēng!
I think it’s better to keep a low profile, after all, big trees attract wind!
“ants shaking a tree”
Meaning: to overate oneself
Example:
- 与大象比力气就好比蚍蜉撼树。
Yǔ dàxiàng bǐ lìqì jiù hǎobǐ pífú hàn shù.
Comparing strength with an elephant is like an ant trying to shake a tree.
Congratulations! You’ve learned all about trees in Chinese! While you’re here, take the opportunity to explore ImproveMandarin.Com, one of the world’s largest sites dedicated to Mandarin Chinese learning.
Here are some related topics you might enjoy:
- Animal Names in Chinese
- Basic Chinese Words and Phrases to Survive in China
- Simple Chinese Grammar Guide for Beginners
- How to Learn Chinese Online – A Quick Guide
By the way, if you’re just starting out to learn Chinese, we strongly recommend you take a structured course online. We’ve taken the time to try out dozens of Chinese courses on the internet, some are fabulous while others are complete junk. Here are the best online Chinese courses for 2022.
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How to say trees in Chinese
04 Aug 2021 Leave a comment
by likeabridge in General Q&A Tags: Chinese idiom for making one proud, Chinese idiom 对症下药, Chinese word for bad habits, Chinese word for experience, Chinese word for fresh, Chinese word for next year, Chinese word for nourishment, Chinese word for patience, Chinese word for plants, Chinese word for revelation, Chinese word for the earth, Chinese word for the environment, Chinese word for uncooked rice, Chinese word for vegetable, How to say do one's best in Chinese, How to say especially in Chinese, How to say fail in Chinese, How to say hinder in Chinese, how to say if in Chinese, How to say learn in Chinese, How to say making great effort in Chinese, How to say trees in Chinese, How to say try again in Chinese, Learn Chinese word for gardening/horticulture, Learn Chinese word for human body, Meaning of 种瓜得瓜 种豆得豆, What are seeds called in Chinese, What does 行行出状元 mean, What's fertilizer in Chinese
Pink Snow Pea FlowerWell, I don’t exactly have zucchinis coming out of my ears, but this year I took care to spray the plants with a 1:10 hydrogen peroxide solution at the first appearance of powdery mildew, and we have enough zucchinis to enjoy and share with our 100-year-old neighbor.
我喜欢园艺, 尤其是种蔬菜.
Wǒ xǐhuān yuányì, yóuqí shì zhòng shūcài.
I enjoy gardening, especially growing vegetables.
看着幼小的植物逐渐长大, 心中无比高兴。
Kànzhe yòuxiǎo de zhíwù zhújiàn zhǎng dà, xīnzhōng wúbǐ gāoxìng.
It gives me immense pleasure to watch the young plants grow up gradually.
能为家人提供新鲜的蔬菜, 令我引以为豪.
Néng wéi jiārén tígōng xīnxiān de shūcài, lìng wǒ yǐn yǐ wéi háo.
It makes me proud to be able to provide my family with fresh vegetables.
此外, 园艺还给了我许多人生道理的启示.
Cǐwài, yuányì hái gěi le wǒ xǔduō rénshēng dàolǐ de qǐshì.
Besides, gardening has also given me many revelations about life.
俗话说: “春耕,夏耘,秋收,冬藏.”
Súhuà shuō: “Chūn gēng, xià yún, qiū shōu, dōng cáng.”
As the adage goes, “Plough in spring, weed in summer, harvest in autumn, store in winter.”
种适合在您的地区生长植物, 而不是您梦想可以种植的植物.
Zhòng shìhé zài nín de dìqū shēngzhǎng de zhíwù, ér bùshì nín mèngxiǎng kěyǐ zhòngzhí de zhíwù.
Plant what will grow in your region, not what you dream would grow.
我们做事不也要看天时, 地利, 人和吗?
Wǒmen zuòshì bù yě yào kàn tiānshí, dìlì, rén hé ma?
When we do a project, don’t we also need to consider the right timing, the right place, and the right team?
一颗小种子可以长成一棵大树。
Yī kē xiǎo zhǒngzǐ kěyǐ zhǎng chéngyī kē dà shù.
A tiny seed could grow into a large tree.
我认为每个人也都有很大的潜力。
Wǒ rènwéi měi gèrén yě dōu yǒu hěn dà de qiánlì.
I think there is also great potential in each person.
植物需要肥料, 就像人体需要营养一样。
Zhíwù xūyào féiliào, jiù xiàng réntǐ xūyào yíngyǎng yīyàng.
Plants need fertilizers just like a human body needs nourishment.
人们也需要教育和修养来滋养他们的心灵。
Rénmen yě xūyào jiàoyù hé xiūyǎng lái zīyǎng tāmen de xīnlíng.
People also need education and cultivation to nourish their minds.
种瓜得瓜, 种豆得豆.
Zhòngguādéguā, zhòngdòudédòu.
You get what you sow.
但是,我们必须付出努力并且要有耐心。
Dànshì, wǒmen bìxū fùchū nǔlì bìng qiě yào yǒu nàixīn.
However, we must put in the effort and have patience.
当然, 我们不应该试图揠苗助长.
Of course, we should not try to help the shoots grow by pulling them upward (i.e. spoil things by excessive enthusiasm).
坏习惯就像杂草;它们阻碍我们的发展。
Huài xíguàn jiù xiàng zá cǎo; tāmen zǔ’ài wǒmen de fǎzhǎn.
Bad habits are like weeds; they hinder our development.
就像去芜存菁, 我们可以保留我们的优良人品并消除缺点.
Jiù xiàng qù wú cún jīng, wǒmen kěyǐ bǎoliú wǒmen de yōuliáng rénpǐn bìng xiāochú quēdiǎn.
Like culling the plants, we could keep our good qualities and elminate the shortcomings.
行行出状元; 我们应该虚心向有经验的人学习.
Háng háng chū zhuàngyuán; wǒmen yīnggāi xūxīn xiàng yǒu jīngyàn de rén xuéxí.
There are masters in every profession; we should learn humbly from experienced people.
如果您失败了, 不要气馁. 明年再试试.
Rúguǒ nín shībàile, bùyào qìněi. Míngnián zài shì shì.
If you fail, don’t lose heart. Try again next year.
找出问题所在, 对症下药.
Zhǎo chū wèntí suǒzài, duìzhèngxiàyào.
Find out where the problem is and apply the proper remedy.
一粒米, 一滴汗.
Yī lì mǐ, yīdī hàn
A grain of rice, a drop of sweat.
在感激有菜蔬享用之际, 我们应该尽力保护地球和环境.
Zài gǎnjī yǒu càishū xiǎngyòng zhī jì, wǒmen yīnggāi jìnlì bǎohù dìqiú hé huánjìng.
While we appreciate having fresh produce to enjoy, we should do our best to protect the earth and the environment.
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27 Nov 2013 2 Comments
by likeabridge in General Q&A Tags: Chinese expressions for life's joys and sorrows, Chinese word for comprehend, Chinese word for dust, Chinese word for empty, Chinese word for Zen, How to say diligently in Chinese, How to say Happy Thanksgiving in Chinese, How to say repent in Chinese, How to say trees in Chinese, Learn Chinese word for enlightenment, What does 想不开 mean
There is a form of understanding that is gained via an awakening to a truth. In Chinese, it is called 悟 (wù). Notice the “heart” radical on the left side and the 吾 (wú formal word for I or we) character on the right side? 悟 (wù) involves a direct perception of truth by the mind. A person endowed with a higher intelligence or power of understanding, 悟性 (wùxìng), is believed to be more capable of perceiving the truth.and attaining enlightenment.
领悟 (lǐngwù) is to truly comprehend or grasp a profound principle or concept.
觉悟 (juéwù) means to come to realize the truth, or to wake up to reality, such as that involving one’s past misconception, mistakes or bad behavior. 悔悟 (huǐwù) is to repent.
The expression 执迷不悟 (zhímíbùwù) describes people who stubbornly stick to their bad ways or a wrong cause and refuse to come to their senses.
In life we experience joys and sorrows: 喜怒哀怨 (xǐ nù āi yuàn), 酸甜苦辣 (suāntiánkǔlà) and 悲欢离合 (bēihuānlíhé). Some of us may take things too hard and feel depressed. This is called 想不开 (xiǎngbukāi to take a matter to heart).
唉, 他就是想不开.
Ài, tā jiùshì xiǎngbukāi.
(sigh) He simply can’t get over it.
The Buddhist philosophy teaches people to take life as it is and not get too attached to anything. Just like the various wavelengths in the visible spectrum combine to produce “transparent” light, so all of life’s vicissitudes blend into one vast “nothingness”, or 空 (kōng empty, emptiness). Only when one comes upon this realization can one hope to go through life’s journey in peace and with equanimity.
Many people believe it is possible to achieve 悟 (wù) through assiduous reading, studying and contemplating of the Buddhist canons. Zen Buddhism, on the other hand, emphasizes seeing directly into one’s mind. The belief is that the ultimate truth resides in each and everyone’s mind. When one continues to search in one’s mind through deep meditation, at the right moment one may experience what’s called 顿悟 (dùn wù sudden enlightenment). Such a revelation could also be triggered by an external event or incited by a capable Zen teacher. Click on this link, “An Introduction to Zen Buddhism”, if you are interested in learning a bit about the Zen school of thought.
http://buddhism.about.com/od/chanandzenbuddhism/a/zen101_2.htm
The Chinese word for Zen is 禅 (chán). Please don’t confuse it with 蝉 (chán cicadas), which is pronounced the same way and looks quite similar. As an exercise, find out what other words have the same pronunciation as 禅 (chán Zen).
What we want to look at today are a couple interesting verses associated with a well known legend about the Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism. When the Fifth Patriarch was looking for a successor, he asked his disciples to write a few lines to show their understanding of Buddhism. His top disciple wrote the following lines on the south wall of the temple:
身是菩提树, 心如明镜台.
Shēn shì pútíshù, xīn rú míngjìng tái.
The body is a Bodhi tree; the mind is like a mirror stand.
时时勤拂拭, 勿使惹尘埃.
Shíshí qín fúshì, wù shǐ rě chénāi.
Through diligent polishing let no dust upon the mirror land.
The Fifth Patriarch approved of the verses, but felt they lacked the spirit he was looking for. Nevertheless, he instructed the other disciples to study this practical advice to improve themselves. An illiterate monk, named 惠能 (Huìnéng), who was assigned to do odd jobs around the place heard the other monks recite the poem. He asked a fellow monk to write for him the following lines on the west wall of the temple:
菩提本无树, 明镜亦非台.
Pútí běn wú shù, míngjìng yì fēi tái.
Bodhi is not a tree, and the Mirror is not a stand.
本来无一物, 何处惹尘埃.
Běnlái wú yī wù, héchù rě chénāi.
There are no objects after all; where is the dust to land?
What happened next is a long story, but, to put it in a nut shell, 惠能 (Huìnéng) became the Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism.
菩提 (pútí), the Bodhi tree, is the symbol of enlightenment because it was under such a tree that Buddha himself received enlightenment through meditation. 惠能 (Huìnéng) pointed out that the focus should not be on the tree but rather what it represents.
明镜 (míngjìng) is a bright mirror. It represents one’s mind. Again, 惠能 (Huìnéng) drew the attention to the mind rather than the physical object. 台 (tái) is a stand, a table or a platform.
时时 (shíshí) means frequently or constantly.
勤 (qín) means diligently.
拂拭 (fúshì) is to wipe off.
惹 (rě) is to cause something undesirable to happen, or to attract unwanted attention.
尘埃 (chénāi) means dust.
本来 (běnlái) means originally or the way things actually are.
物 (wù) is a general term for things and substances.
何处 (héchù) means what place, i.e. where.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could acquire the Chinese language through meditation, or if someone could just beam it into your mind? Current technology does not permit this to happen. However, if you take a moment from time to time to reflect upon what you have already learned, some of the material may suddenly start to make more sense. Also, it helps to turn yourself into an active learner as described in this article.
During this holiday season, let’s be thankful for our wonderful family, friends and neighbors, as well as for all the problems that we could have but don’t.
感恩节快乐!
Gǎnēn jié kuàilè!
Happy Thanksgiving!
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20 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
by likeabridge in General Q&A Tags: Chinese word for a lawn, Chinese word for springtime, Chinese word for vernal equinox, How to say trees in Chinese, Learn Chinese word for crocuses, Learn Chinese word for daffodils, Learn Chinese word for tulips, What are eggs called in Chinese
Corcuses
This year spring starts today at 7:21 pm Eastern Daylight Saving Time when the vernal equinox takes place. This is when the sun is situated directly above the equator, and the night and day are approximately of equal length in time. In Chinese, the vernal equinox is called 春分 (chūn fēn). 春 (chūn) is spring, and 分 (fēn) means division or separation.
Some people believe that the forces in the universe are better balanced at this time so that it’s easier to stand an egg on its end. Others discount this claim for lack of a scientific basis. You can read all about the debate by searching the Internet for articles on balancing an egg at the time of the equinoxes. If you wish to try your hand at making an egg stand on its end, I would suggest first letting the raw egg come to room temperature. Let the egg lean against a support for a few minutes, with the large end resting on the countertop. This will permit the egg yolk to settle toward the bottom and allow the egg to readily achieve a state of stable equilibrium while you are balancing it. If that oval object, called 蛋 (dàn egg), refuses to cooperate, just crack it and make a pancake or an omelet.
A standing egg
Anyhow, what interests us more here is to learn a few Chinese words related to springtime. In the days of sping, 春天 (chūntiān), we are blessed with warmer weather, which also enlivens the flowers and the birds.
春天来了! Chūntiān lái le! Spring has come!
花儿开. Huār kāi. Flowers are blooming.
鸟儿叫. Niǎor jiào. The birds call.
儿(ér) is a son. It is often added to another word to indicate smallness or cuteness. In this case, it’s customary to slur over this word so all one hears is the “r” sound added to the preceding word. 开 means “to open”. The Chinese describe the action of blooming as the flowers opening up. 叫 is the action of calling or exclaiming.
In North America, the crocuses, 番红花 (fān hóng huā), are usually the first ones to peep out of the ground in spring. Two other popular early bloomers are: 水仙花 (shuǐ xiān huā daffodils) and 郁金香 (yùjīnxiāng tulips). Taken apart, the indivudial characters have the following meanings:
番 (fān) barbarian, a bout
红 (hóng) is the red color.
花 (huā) means flowers.
水 (shuǐ) is water.
仙 (xiān) is a fairy or mythical being.
花 (huā) means flowers.
郁 (yùjīnxiāng) means fragrant or depressed (sad).
金 (jīn) is gold or metal.
香 (yùjīnxiāng) means fragrant or aromatic.
The colors of the flowers are the more vivid when contrasted against a background of greenery.
草 (cǎo) means grass, and 草地 (cǎodì) is a lawn or a meadow.
树 (shù) is the word for one or more trees. The word for leaves is 叶 (yè). So, 树叶 (shùyè) are the leaves of a tree.
Those of you whose front yards are still buried under snow could close your eyes and imagine the beauty and delight of springtime. After all, it’s the emotion that one feels that matters.
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30 easy-to-learn Chinese characters
There are no easy languages, each language has its own difficulties and peculiarities. But still, there are a number of languages that are very difficult to learn. Here Chinese language is one of those. since it depends on what you count them in. If you use the method used in China, then their number is potentially infinite.0141
So how many symbols do you need to know to feel comfortable in the Chinese environment, that is, to read signs on the streets, newspapers, web pages?
Statistical studies say that there are 3000 most common characters, knowledge will help to understand 99. 2% of the text. This is certainly much less than 85 thousand, but still a lot. But what is interesting is that confident knowledge of only 100 characters gives an understanding of as much as 42% of the text. Here are the statistics:
100 characters → 42% understanding 9Chinese culture imbued with the spirit of mysticism and mystery, and looking at these mysterious signs of Chinese writing, all self-confidence is lost.
But do not despair, we have selected the 30 easiest characters to remember, which will be our starting point on such a winding path.
The characters below have the fewest strokes. They are easy to learn as they are mostly intuitive.
So let's get started.
1. 一 this horizontal line represents the number one. Accordingly, the number two is two strokes 二 and three is 三. Pretty simple, right?
For example, "one person" in Chinese would be 一个人.
2. 人 - these two simple strokes denote - a person and resemble a person with legs wide apart. If you put these two characters together - 人人 we get - "everyone" or "everyone", for example, 人人都爱喝可乐 would mean - everyone likes to drink cola.
3.日 this rectangle with a line in the middle is nothing but the Sun. Of course, one must have a remarkable imagination in order to be able to tie this symbol to our luminary, but in ancient times this hieroglyph was more round.
Once it was a circle with a small dash in the middle, which eventually transformed.
By the way, 日 can also mean the word "day". If you arrange these signs in a row 日日, then it will mean "every day."
4.月 - this character stands for the moon. In ancient times, this hieroglyph really looked like a satellite of our Earth and looked like a crescent. This character also means "month", for example, 1月 will be January, and the first of January will be - 1月1日
5. 水 - water, liquid, river, sea, stream. Some say that in ancient times it was a drawing of a river flow between banks or boulders, and some say that it was a drawing of water ripples.
If we apply the character that we have already learned (一), then we can write "one glass of water" 一杯水
6. 山 - mountains. It also means a mountain range, a hill, a grave or a mound. It is also easy to remember this symbol - the bottom line symbolizes the earth, the vertical lines symbolize mountain peaks of different heights. If you combine this sign with other hieroglyphs, then you can get many other concepts, for example, in combination with the hieroglyph 水 (water), we get - 山水 (landscape), and 山水画 will mean "landscape" painting.画 is really a small picture in a frame. This character 水 is part of many hieroglyphs.
7. 大 - The Chinese character for "big" looks like a person with arms and legs wide apart. In ancient times, it was a drawing of a large, strong man.
If we write 人 (person) next to 大, we get 大人 "adult", literally - a big person. Also, this hieroglyph can mean - huge, large, strong, elder, great, respected, etc.
8. 小 - small. It is also used in the meaning - small, young, younger, simple, etc.
Please note that 小 refers to size only. When we talk about small amounts, we say 少
9. 口 - mouth. As you might guess, this hieroglyph denotes the open mouth of a person. However, it has many meanings: lips, hole, neck (bottles), mouth, harbor, hole, words, speech, and many others.
This symbol can often be found in combination with other signs, for example,
大口 (dà kǒu) a long sip
出口 - exit
人口 - population
山口 - mountain pass
口岸 - "mouth" and "shore" àn] = port, trading port
口才 - "mouth" and "talent" [kŏucái] = eloquence, the gift of beautiful speech, the gift of speaking.
口红 - "mouth" and "red" [kŏuhóng] = lipstick
So, as in Russian, 口 (mouth) can mean a family member, for example, 一家三口人 means "a family of three human mouths".
Interestingly, the “fence” sign is depicted in the same way as the “mouth”, but is not used independently, only around the remaining elements of the hieroglyph:
国 [guó] — country, state
回 [huí] — mouth in the fence = to return
回国 [huíguó] — to return to one's homeland
10. 火 — fire. A very simple hieroglyph, if you look closely, it looks like a running person who, in a panic, waves his arms and shouts: “Help, fire!”.
In ancient times, this symbol was more like a fire flower.
Here are some ways to use this symbol:
大火 big flame and 小火 small flame, 山火 forest fire, 火山 volcano. In astronomy, this symbol is used as a designation for the planet Mars.
11. 男 - man. In fact, this is a combination of two characters 田 (field) and 力 (strength). This symbol can be seen on the doors of the men's restrooms.
男人 person
男友 guy, friend
12. 女 – woman.
The Chinese cartoonist Tan Huay Peng in his book Fun with Chinese Characters wrote:
“An ancient pictogram depicted a woman bowing, then for ease of writing she was put on her knees, but not for long. The modern hieroglyph depicts a woman who walks broadly and freely on a par with a man.
美女 - beauty
少女 - girl
女工 - woman worker
女士 - mistress, lady, madam
女王 - queen
女主人 - mistress
This hieroglyph looks like a man with legs and arms wide apart, and on the bottom of it is a horizontal line denoting the sky. In ancient China, the Emperor was called the son of heaven, and talented people were called people with a heavenly gift.
This hieroglyph is also used in the meaning of "day". If we put two such characters 天天 side by side, we get “every day”. 14.14. It can also mean: cattle, bull, buffalo, ox, beef. Initially, the muzzle of the animal, its horns and ears were drawn, but later the similarity was lost.
一头牛 - one cow
小牛 - calf
牛奶 - milk
牛肉 - beef
牛油 - butter
牛仔 - shepherd
15. 马 - horse. This is a simplified character, in traditional writing it looks like 馬
马上 - immediately
人马 - army, army (people and horses)
妈 - mother (woman and horse)
16. 羊 - ram, sheep or small cattle. This hieroglyph carries a favorable meaning, as in Chinese culture, a ram is a kind animal.羊 is part of the character for "kindness". The goat is denoted by the same hieroglyph.
山羊 - mountain goat
17. 木 - tree as a plant and tree as a material. Initially, the drawing depicted a trunk, roots and branches.
果木 - fruit tree
木星 - Jupiter (planet)
18. 工 - work, work. There are several versions of the origin of this sign, one of which is horizontal lines - earth and sky, vertical - a person.
工作 - work
工人 - worker
木工 - joiner, carpenter
19. 开 - open, can also mean "start".
开刀 - surgery
开工 - start working
开口 - talk
20. 心 - heart. In ancient times, it was a fairly accurate schematic drawing of the human heart, the modern sign has changed beyond recognition.
The pictogram "heart" is part of many hieroglyphs associated with spiritual qualities and the inner world of a person.
For example, the hieroglyph "thought" consists of two parts "sound" and "heart": that is, "voice in the heart." And the hieroglyph “think” consists of “appearance, face” and “heart”.
The character 心 is also used in the meanings: soul, spirit
chest, chest cavity
mind, intellect, reason, thought
desires, intentions, moods
center, middle, core
will, determination, aspiration
會心亿 purposeful person middle of the river
21. 门 - door. There should be no problems remembering this hieroglyph, since it looks like a doorway.
开门 — open the door
22. 不 — no. Although this symbol means "no", it is not usually used by itself. Mostly they write 不是 - "no" or 不好 - "bad".
不少 literally translates to “not a little”, or in other words “a lot”.
23. 十 - ten. An ancient drawing depicted the cardinal directions. The number ten symbolizes the ten-sided world, which in Buddhism means the four main directions of the world, the four directions between them, as well as the direction up and down.
In modern Chinese, 十 is used in the meanings: “ten, tenfold, tenfold”, etc., as well as “many, all”.
十一 eleven
十二 twelve
十三 thirteen
十四 fourteen
十五 fifteen
But 100 is not "ten tens", it's just 一百 (one hundred).
In China, hieroglyphs of numbers are rarely used, more often Arabic numerals. Price tags in stores are usually written in Arabic numerals. But in provincial cities, and especially in small settlements, hieroglyphs can be used.
24. 手 - hand. Initially, this hieroglyph depicted lines on the palm, over time, these lines on the sign aligned.
In our time, the character 手 is used in the meanings: “hand, hands, hand, palm, helping hand, help”, “skill, skill, technique, art”, “master, doka, craftsman”, etc.
手工craft
一手 alone
水手 sailor
25. 王 – king, king, emperor, monarch. The character consists of three parts: 十 (number ten) and two horizontal lines above and below 一, meaning heaven and earth.
王子 - prince
王民 - subjects
26. 米 - fig. As we know, rice is a staple food. Often located in various parts of complex hieroglyphs. It is very similar to the sign 木 (tree), but on the most ancient pictogram denoting rice was completely different and only over time it transformed and became similar to the hieroglyph "tree".
玉米 (yù mǐ) corn
白米 (bái mǐ) white rice or hulled rice for eating
27.