天竺葵

tiānzhúkuí

noun #36,150

Measure Word

一盆天竺葵 pén

Meanings

1 geranium (Pelargonium hortorum)

Characters

(in 天竺) India

sunflower / mallow

Examples

她在阳台上种了几盆天竺葵。

Tā zài yángtái shàng zhòng le jǐ pén tiānzhúkuí.

She grew several pots of geraniums on the balcony.

天竺葵的花有红色、粉色和白色。

Tiānzhúkuí de huā yǒu hóngsè, fěnsè hé báisè.

Geraniums have red, pink, and white flowers.

Tips

history

天竺 was the old Chinese name for India (used in Buddhist texts and 西游记). Despite the name, geraniums originate in South Africa, not India — Chinese botanists tagged any imported flowering plant as 'from 天竺' the way English tags exotic things 'India-' (Indian corn, India ink).

Stroke Order

天 tiān

竺 zhú

葵 kuí