折柳

zhéliǔ

verb

Meanings

1 to break off a willow twig as a farewell gift
2 to see someone off

Characters

Examples

HSK 6

古人常常折柳送给远行的朋友。

Gǔrén chángcháng zhéliǔ sònggěi yuǎnxíng de péngyou.

In ancient times, people often broke off a willow twig to give to a friend setting out on a long journey.

HSK 7-9

两位老友在渡口折柳惜别。

Liǎng wèi lǎoyǒu zài dùkǒu zhéliǔ xībié.

At the ferry crossing, the two old friends broke off a willow twig and reluctantly said goodbye.

Tips

culture

柳 "willow" sounds like 留 "to stay", so a twig handed to a departing friend asked them to stay. Willow also roots wherever a cut twig is planted, a wish that the traveller settle well far from home. In the Han and Tang dynasties, people seeing guests off from 长安 broke willows at 灞桥, the bridge east of the city.

history

折柳 can also mean 折杨柳 "Breaking the Willow", an old flute tune of parting. Tang poets such as 李白 write of hearing it far from home.

Stroke Order

折 zhé

柳 liǔ