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菊花 (jú huā) — chrysanthemum; (slang) anus

Definition

Chrysanthemum — a common autumn flower in China, also a slang/vulgar term for the anus. In normal contexts it just means the flower; the slang sense is crude and best avoided by learners.

noun
chrysanthemum(slang) anus
Measure word · 朵

Examples

  • 菊花。
    Qiū tiān shì jú huā shèng kāi de jì jié.
    Autumn is the season when chrysanthemums bloom.
  • 。
    Tā pào le yì bēi jú huā chá gěi wǒ.
    She made me a cup of chrysanthemum tea.
  • 菊花。
    Gōng yuán lǐ zhǒng le hěn duō jú huā.
    Many chrysanthemums are planted in the park.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

菊júchrysanthemum
花huāflower

菊 names the chrysanthemum plant, and 花 means flower, so the word denotes a chrysanthemum flower.

Characters in this word

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
匊
匊jū菊jú
Same sound today

菊 has 艹 (grass) on top and 匊 below; the grass part marks it as a plant, and 匊 gives the sound.

Open 菊 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
化
化huà花
Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

Open 花 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Plants & Flowers

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