栽种 (zāi zhòng) — to plant, to grow (trees, crops, flowers, etc.)

Definition

verb
to plantto grow (trees, crops, flowers, etc.)

Examples

  • 栽种。
    Tā men zài shān pō shàng zāi zhòng le xǔ duō guǒ shù.
    They planted many fruit trees on the hillside.
  • 栽种，。
    Zhè zhǒng huā hěn róng yì zāi zhòng, bù xū yào tài duō zhào gù.
    This kind of flower is very easy to grow and doesn't need much care.
  • 栽种，。
    Nóng mín zài chūn tiān zāi zhòng zhuāng jia, qiū tiān shōu huò.
    Farmers plant crops in spring and harvest in autumn.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

栽zāiplant
种zhǒngsow

栽 means to set plants in soil and 种 means to sow, giving planting of crops or flowers.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢦏
𢦏𢦏栽zāi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

栽 is made from 木 and 𢦏: 木 is the wood/tree part, and 𢦏 points to the sound.

Open 栽 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hérice
Sound part声符shēngfú
中
中zhōng种zhǒng
Same sound today

种 pairs 禾, which shows rice or grain and fits meanings like plant and seed, with 中, which gives its sound.

Open 种 →

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