树状 (shù zhuàng) — tree shape; tree-like form

Definition

noun

tree shapetree-like form

树状。
Zhè zhǒng zhí wù de yè zi chéng shù zhuàng.
The leaves of this plant are tree-like in shape.
树状。
Shù jù kù yòng shù zhuàng jié gòu lái zǔ zhī shù jù.
Databases use a tree structure to organize data.
树状。
Shè jì shī cǎi yòng le shù zhuàng tú àn zuò wéi zhuāng shì.
The designer adopted a tree-like pattern as decoration.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

树 contributes the idea of a tree, and 状 contributes the idea of a shape or form.

Characters in this word

Most 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 樹; 树 is its simplified writing.

木尌樹

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

尌

尌shù樹shù

Same sound today

Originally 尌, 'to plant a tree', was written alone; the traditional form 樹 adds 木, 'tree', to it to differentiate.

Most 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 狀; 状 is its simplified writing.

爿犬狀

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

爿

爿pán狀zhuàng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 狀 pairs 犬 (dog) with 爿 as a sound component; the simplified 状 is a shorthand, not the historical shape.