草果 (cǎo guǒ) — cardamom

Definition

A dried spice seed (Tsaoko cardamom) used in Chinese cooking, especially with meat and in spicy Sichuan/Yunnan dishes. Note: 'cardamom' usually translates 豆蔻; 草果 is a closely related but distinct seed with a stronger, more pungent flavor.

noun
cardamom
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • 草果。
    Zhè dào cài xū yào jiā yì xiē cǎo guǒ tí wèi.
    This dish needs some cardamom to enhance the flavor.
  • 草果。
    cǎo guǒ Shì dōng nán yà liào lǐ zhōng cháng yòng de xiāng liào.
    Cardamom is a commonly used spice in Southeast Asian cuisine.
  • 草果。
    Wǒ mǎi le yì xiǎo dài cǎo guǒ zhǔn bèi zuò gā lí.
    I bought a small bag of cardamom to make curry.

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.

草cǎoherb
果guǒfruit

The 果 of this 草 plant is cardamom.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
早
早zǎo草cǎo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

草 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 早, which gives the sound. The form originally referred to another word and was later used for the grass sense.

Open 草 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

果 originally drew fruits hanging on a tree.

Open 果 →

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