桃树 (táo shù) — peach tree | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

peach tree

Measure word · 株

桃树。
Wǒ jiā yuàn zi lǐ yǒu yì kē táo shù.
There is a peach tree in my yard.
，桃树。
Chūn tiān dào le, táo shù kāi mǎn le fěn sè de huā.
Spring has arrived, and the peach tree is full of pink flowers.
桃树。
Zhè kē táo shù yǐ jīng zhǒng le shí nián le.
This peach tree has been planted for ten years.

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.

桃 gives the peach kind, and 树 gives the tree.

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.

木兆桃

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

兆

兆zhào桃táo(r)

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

桃 combines 木, meaning tree, with 兆, which gives the sound.

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.

Appears in