植物 (zhí wù) — plant; vegetation | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A plant — the living organism (flowers, trees, grass), not a factory (厂) or the verb 'to plant' (种 zhòng).

noun

plantvegetation

Measure word · 种

Easily confused

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.

植 gives the idea of growing, and 物 gives the idea of a thing, naming a plant.

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.

木直植

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

直

Same sound today

植 is made from 木, a tree, and 直, 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.

牛勿物

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

勿

Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

Appears in