Definition
籽 (zǐ) is a noun meaning 'seed', especially of a fruit or plant, and is used in everyday speech. It differs from 种子 (zhǒng zi, HSK5), which is the general, more formal term for 'seed' in agriculture or biology. 籽 often refers to small, edible seeds inside fruits (e.g., watermelon seeds), while 种子 covers all types, including those for planting.
noun
seed (of a plant)
Easily confused
- 存cúnlook-aliketo deposit (money in a bank)
- 子zisound-alike(noun suffix) forms nouns from verbs, adjectives, or other nouns; often indicates a small object, tool, or person
- 自zìsound-alike(preposition) from (indicating a starting point in space or time)
- 字zìsound-alikecharacter (Chinese character)
- 兹zīsound-alikethis (formal, literary)
- 紫zǐsound-alikepurple
Examples
- 籽。Zhè zhǒng shuǐguǒ de zǐ kěyǐ chī.The seeds of this fruit are edible.
- 籽。Tā mǎi le yìxiē huā zǐ zhòng zài hòuyuàn.She bought some flower seeds and planted them in the backyard.
- 籽，。Zhèxiē zǐ tài xiǎo le, hěn nán shōují.These seeds are too small to collect easily.
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