拳参

拳參

quánshēn

noun

Measure Word

一株拳参 zhū

Meanings

1 bistort (Polygonum bistorta)
2 Chinese medicinal herb with coiled rhizome

Characters

ginseng; medicinal root

Examples

HSK 6

中医用拳参清热解毒。

Zhōngyī yòng quánshēn qīngrè jiědú.

Traditional Chinese medicine uses bistort to clear heat and detoxify.

HSK 7-9

拳参的根茎弯曲如拳，因此得名。

Quánshēn de gēn jīng wānqū rú quán, yīncǐ démíng.

Bistort gets its name because its rhizome curls like a fist.

Tips

memory

The name is literal: 拳 (fist) + 参 (ginseng-like root), the rhizome coils into a fist shape. Note the reading 参 = shēn (herb root), not cān (participate).

Stroke Order

拳 quán

参 cān