Browse "Plants" Characters

Every character has an origin. Discover the pictographs, myths, and history behind each Chinese character — with pinyin, stroke order, HSK level, and audio pronunciation.

苹婆

píng pó

‘苹婆’ (píng pó) is a botanical term referring

浮萍

fú píng

‘浮萍’ (fú píng) is a noun referring to duckwe

米酒

mǐ jiǔ

Mǐ jiǔ (rice wine) is a traditional fermented al

玉米

yù mǐ

玉米 (yù mǐ) literally means 'jade rice' — 玉 (

米粉

mǐ fěn

米粉 (mǐ fěn) literally means 'rice powder' or '

小米

xiǎo mǐ

Xiǎo mǐ (millet) is a small, round, yellowish gr

大米

dà mǐ

大米 (dà mǐ) literally means 'big rice' — but i

果酱

guǒ jiàng

果酱 (guǒ jiàng) literally combines 果 (guǒ), m

果皮

guǒ pí

果皮 (guǒ pí) literally combines 果 (guǒ), mean

果汁

guǒ zhī

‘果汁’ (guǒ zhī) literally means ‘fruit juice

苹果

píng guǒ

苹果 (píng guǒ) means 'apple' — the crisp, roun

东风

dōng fēng

'Dōng fēng' literally means 'east wind' — combi

明月

míng yuè

‘Míng yuè’ literally combines 明 (míng), mean

岁寒三友

suì hán sān yǒu

'Three friends of winter' is a classical Chinese i

汉字

hàn zì

汉字 (hàn zì) literally means 'Han character'—'

太阳

tài yáng

‘太阳’ (tài yáng) literally means ‘great yang

石块

shí kuài

石块 (shí kuài) literally combines 石 (shí), me

水墨

shuǐ mò

Shuǐ mò (ink wash) refers to a traditional Chine

水果

shuǐ guǒ

‘水果’ (shuǐ guǒ) literally means ‘water frui

三角形

sān jiǎo xíng

三角形 (sān jiǎo xíng) literally means 'three-c

瓜子

guā zi

‘Guāzi’ literally means ‘melon seed’, but in

出产

chū chǎn

出产 (chū chǎn) is a verb meaning 'to produce' o

著作

zhù zuò

著作 (zhù zuò) is a formal noun meaning 'literar

和风

hé fēng

‘和风’ literally combines 和 (hé, meaning 'harm

Born from a diviner’s knife cutting ritual shells

piān

Born as a bronze-age image of a person standing as