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藏红花 (zàng hóng huā) — saffron (both the plant Crocus sativus and the spice derived from its stigmas)

Definition

noun
saffron (both the plant Crocus sativus and the spice derived from its stigmas)
Measure word · 朵

Examples

  • 藏红花，。
    Zhè zhǒng zàng hóng huā kě yǐ yòng lái zuò cài, wèi dào hěn tè bié.
    This kind of saffron can be used in cooking; it has a very distinctive flavor.
  • 藏红花。
    Zhōng yī rèn wéi zàng hóng huā yǒu huó xuè huà yū de gōng xiào.
    Traditional Chinese medicine believes that saffron has the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis.
  • 藏红花，。
    Wǒ mǎi le yì xiē zàng hóng huā, zhǔn bèi pào chá hē.
    I bought some saffron and plan to brew it as tea.

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.

藏cángTibet
红花red flower
红hóngred花huāflower
偏正Modifier + head

藏 'Tibet' with 红 'red' and 花 'flower' refers to the red flower associated with Tibet.

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
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
臧
臧zāng藏cáng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

藏 is made from 艸 (grass) and 臧, where 臧 gives the sound.

Open 藏 →

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 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng紅hóng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

Open 红 →

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
化
化huà花
Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

Open 花 →
Appears in
Flavors & Seasonings

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