穗 (suì) — (of grain) ear; spike; (short for) Guangzhou (city in southern China)

Definition

Two unrelated meanings share this character: (1) the ear/spike of grain like wheat or rice, and (2) short for Guangzhou city (穗 = 穗城, an old nickname for Guangzhou). The context always tells you which one is meant.

noun
(of grain) earspike(short for) Guangzhou (city in southern China)
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，穗。
    Qiū tiān dào le, tián lǐ de suì dōu biàn huáng le.
    Autumn has arrived, and the ears of grain in the fields have all turned yellow.
  • 穗。
    suì Gǎng gāo tiě ràng liǎng dì wǎng lái gèng jiā fāng biàn.
    The Guangzhou–Hong Kong high-speed rail makes travel between the two cities more convenient.
  • 穗。
    Nóng mín men zhèng zài shōu gē chéng shú de dào suì.
    The farmers are harvesting the mature rice ears.

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hégrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
惠
惠huì穗suì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

穗 pairs 禾 (grain) with 惠, which gives the sound.

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.