常绿树 (cháng lǜ shù) — evergreen tree or shrub

Definition

noun
evergreen tree or shrub
Measure word · 棵

Examples

  • 常绿树。
    Zhè kē cháng lǜ shù yì nián sì jì dōu shì lǜ sè de.
    This evergreen tree is green all year round.
  • 常绿树。
    Gōng yuán lǐ zhǒng le hěn duō cháng lǜ shù.
    Many evergreen trees are planted in the park.
  • 常绿树。
    cháng lǜ shù De yè zi bú huì zài dōng tiān diào luò.
    The leaves of evergreen trees don't fall off in winter.

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.

常绿
常chángalways绿lǜgreen
偏正Modifier + head
树shùtree

Always, green, and tree combine for a tree that stays green all year.

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
巾巾jīncloth
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng常cháng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

常 pairs 巾, a cloth, with 尚 as a sound part; the form originally referred to a lower garment.

Open 常 →

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 綠; 绿 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
彔
彔lù綠lù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 綠 uses 糸 to show silk and 彔 for sound; the simplified 绿 is a later abbreviation, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 绿 →

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 樹; 树 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
尌
尌shù樹shù
Same sound today

Originally 尌, 'to plant a tree', was written alone; the traditional form 樹 adds 木, 'tree', to it to differentiate.

Open 树 →

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