生根 (shēng gēn) — to take root (literal or figurative) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'grow roots', used literally for plants and figuratively for ideas, habits, or cultures becoming established. Often appears as the separable form 生了根.

verb

to take root (literal or figurative)

Examples

生根。
Zhè kē xiǎo shù yǐ jīng shēng gēn le.
This small tree has already taken root.
，。
Zhè kē shù zài zhè lǐ shēng le gēn, cháng dé hěn hǎo.
This tree has taken root here and grows well.
。
Zhè ge guān niàn zài nián qīng rén xīn zhōng shēng le gēn.
This concept has taken root among young people.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

生 (grow) and 根 (root) combine to mean take root.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

屮屮chèbud
一一yīground

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木艮根

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn根gēn(r)

Same sound today

根 pairs 木 (tree/wood), pointing to plant roots, with 艮 as a sound part.

Appears in

Plants & Flowers

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