() — seed (of a plant)

Definition

籽 (zǐ) refers specifically to the small, hard seed itself — the thing you plant or eat — not the type/kind (种) or the process of planting (种 zhòng). Less common than 种子, which is the everyday word for 'seed'.

noun
seed (of a plant)
Measure word ·

Examples

  • Zhè zhǒng shuǐ guǒ de zǐ kě yǐ chī.
    The seeds of this fruit are edible.
  • Tā mǎi le yì xiē huā zǐ zhǒng zài hòu yuàn.
    She bought some flower seeds and planted them in the backyard.
  • Zhè xiē zǐ tài xiǎo le, hěn nán shōu jí.
    These seeds are too small to collect easily.

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
rice; grain
Sound part声符shēngfú
zǐ(r)
Same sound today

籽 combines 米 (rice; grain) with 子, which shows how it is pronounced.

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