() — coconut (bound form, used in compounds)

Definition

椰 (yē) only appears in compounds — the everyday word for coconut is 椰子. It also forms 椰树, 椰汁, 椰糖, etc.

bound form
coconut (bound form, used in compounds)

Examples

  • Wǒ xǐ huan hē yē zi zhī.
    I like to drink coconut juice.
  • Hǎi biān yǒu hěn duō yē zi shù.
    There are many coconut trees by the seaside.
  • Zhè zhǒng yē zi táng hěn hǎo chī.
    This kind of coconut candy is delicious.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
tree
Sound part声符shēngfú
Same sound today

椰 has 木 on the left, showing a tree, and 耶 on the right, giving the yē sound.

Appears in

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