杨 (yáng) — poplar (bound form, used in compound words); a surname
Definition
On its own 杨 is just a surname or the poplar tree — in modern Chinese you almost never see it alone; it appears as part of compounds like 杨树 (poplar tree) or 杨木 (poplar wood).
bound form
poplar (bound form, used in compound words)a surname
Examples
- 杨。yáng Xiān sheng shì wǒ de yǔ wén lǎo shī.Mr. Yang is my Chinese teacher.
- 。Zhè kē yáng shù yǐ jīng cháng le èr shí duō nián.This poplar tree has grown for over twenty years.
- 杨。yáng Mù kě yǐ yòng lái zuò jiā jù.Poplar wood can be used to make furniture.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 楊; 杨 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
昜
昜yáng楊yáng
Same sound today
The traditional form 楊 pairs 木 (tree, wood) with 昜, which gives the sound. The simplified 杨 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the old sound part.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.