(gài) — (bound form) used in 芥蓝 (Chinese broccoli)

Definition

芥 (gài) is a bound form used only in 芥蓝 (Chinese broccoli). It has no independent meaning — the word for 'mustard' is 芥末 (jièmo).

bound form
used in 芥蓝 (Chinese broccoli)

Examples

  • Wǒ mǎi le xiē gài lán, zhǔn bèi qīng chǎo.
    I bought some Chinese broccoli, planning to simply stir-fry it.
  • gài Lán shì yì zhǒng hěn jiàn kāng de shū cài.
    Chinese broccoli is a very healthy vegetable.
  • Zhè dào gài lán chǎo dé zhèng hǎo.
    This dish of Chinese broccoli is stir-fried just right.

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
cǎograss, plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
jiè⁰jiè
Same sound today

芥 uses 艸 (grass, plant) to show it is a type of plant, with 介 pointing to its sound.

Appears in

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