泽兰 (zé lán) — Japanese Eupatorium (plant)

Definition

泽兰 (zélán) is the Chinese name for a specific aromatic herb used in traditional Chinese medicine and as an ornamental plant. In English it is usually called Japanese Eupatorium.

noun
Japanese Eupatorium (plant)
Measure word · 棵

Examples

  • 泽兰。
    Zhè kē zé lán shì duō nián shēng cǎo běn zhí wù.
    This Zelan is a perennial herb.
  • 泽兰。
    zé lán Zài zhōng yī lǐ cháng yòng yú zhì liáo yán zhèng.
    Zelan is often used in Chinese medicine to treat inflammation.
  • ，泽兰。
    Chūn tiān, shān pō shàng kāi mǎn le zǐ sè de zé lán.
    In spring, the hillside is covered with purple Zelan.

Origin

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.

泽zémarsh
兰lánorchid

“泽” gives the wetland setting and “兰” the orchid-like 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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 澤; 泽 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
睪
睪yì澤zé
Same sound today

The traditional form 澤 pairs 水 (water) with 睪 for the sound; the simplified 泽 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 泽 →

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 蘭; 兰 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎoplant
Sound part声符shēngfú
闌
闌lán蘭lán
Same sound today

In the traditional form 蘭, 艹 marks it as a plant and 闌 stands for the sound; the simplified 兰 is a later shorthand, not the original parts.

Open 兰 →

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