楝 (liàn) — chinaberry tree (Melia azedarach)

Definition

A bound-form noun meaning the chinaberry tree (Melia azedarach), almost always used as 楝树; rarely appears alone. The berries are used in traditional Chinese medicine.

bound form
chinaberry tree (Melia azedarach)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 楝。
    Zhè kē liàn shù hěn gāo.
    This chinaberry tree is very tall.
  • 楝。
    liàn Shù de guǒ shí kě yǐ rù yào.
    The fruit of the chinaberry tree can be used as medicine.
  • 楝。
    Gōng yuán lǐ zhǒng le hěn duō liàn shù.
    Many chinaberry trees are planted in the park.

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
柬
柬jiǎn楝liàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

楝 puts 木, a tree, beside 柬, which gives the character its sound. The 木 part marks the meaning as a type of tree.

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