Definition
栽 (zāi) has three meanings: (1) to plant (trees/crops) — more colloquial than 种植 (zhòng zhí) and used for transplanting, unlike 移植 (yí zhí) 'transplant' (organs/software). (2) to stumble/fall — 绊 (bàn) means 'trip' as a cause, while 栽 focuses on the fall. (3) to frame someone — 栽赃 (zāi zāng) is the full compound; 栽 alone can mean 'impose blame'.
verb
to plantto growto stumbleto fall downto frame (someone)to impose blame
Easily confused
- 呆dāilook-alikestupid, foolish
- 在zàisound-alike(verb) to be (located) at; to exist; to be alive
- 再zàisound-alikeagain; once more
- 宰zǎisound-aliketo slaughter, to butcher (an animal)
- 灾zāisound-alikedisaster, calamity
Examples
- 栽。Chūntiān shì zāi shù de hǎo jìjié.Spring is a good season to plant trees.
- ，栽。Tā zǒulù méi zhùyì jiǎo xià, zāi le yí gè dà gēntou.He wasn't paying attention to his steps and took a big fall.
- 。Yǒurén xiǎng zāi zāng xiànhài nà ge wúgū de rén.Someone wants to frame that innocent person.
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