梧 (wú) — (bound form) Chinese parasol tree (used in 梧桐)

Definition

梧 is a bound form meaning 'parasol tree' that never stands alone — it only appears as the first character of 梧桐 (wútóng), the full word for the tree.

bound form

Chinese parasol tree (used in 梧桐)

Easily confused

梧。
Zhè kē wú tóng yǐ jīng yǒu shí nián le.
This parasol tree is already ten years old.
，梧。
Qiū tiān shí, wú tóng yè zǐ huì biàn huáng.
In autumn, the parasol tree leaves turn yellow.
梧。
Gōng yuán lǐ zhǒng le xǔ duō wú tóng.
Many parasol trees are planted in the park.

Sound + meaning

六书liùshū

形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木吾梧

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

吾

Same sound today

梧 pairs 木, a tree, to show it is a kind of tree, with 吾 to give its sound.