常青树 (cháng qīng shù) — evergreen tree; (figurative) enduring star, perennial icon, evergreen

Definition

Literal 'evergreen tree' (trees that stay green year-round). In figurative use, it means someone or something that stays popular, productive, or admired for a very long time — a 'perennial icon.'

noun
evergreen tree(figurative) enduring starperennial iconevergreen
Measure word · 棵

Examples

  • 常青树。
    Zhè kē cháng qīng shù yǐ jīng huó le yì bǎi duō nián.
    This evergreen tree has lived for over a hundred years.
  • 常青树，。
    Zhè wèi gē shǒu shì yuè tán de cháng qīng shù, jǐ shí nián yì zhí hěn shòu huān yíng.
    This singer is a perennial in the music industry, having been popular for decades.
  • 常青树，。
    Tā jiù xiàng yì kē cháng qīng shù, zài xué shù jiè bú duàn chuàng xīn.
    He is like an evergreen tree, constantly innovating in academia.

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.

常青evergreen
常chángalways青qīnggreen
偏正Modifier + head
树shùtree

常 “always” describes 青 “green”, and the “always-green” idea then describes 树 “tree”.

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.

An early form of 青 combined 生 and 井, both used for sound; the modern form has changed.

Open 青 →

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 →
Appears in
Trees & Forest

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