束 (shù) · bunch; bundle

Meanings

1 bunch; bundle
2 to bind; to restrain
3 measure word for bunches (of flowers, light, etc.)

Characters

束

shù

bundle; to bind

Looks like a tree (木) tied up with a rope - something bound together

Examples

HSK 3

她收到了一束花。

Tā shōudào le yī shù huā.

She received a bunch of flowers.

HSK 4

一束阳光照进来。

Yī shù yángguāng zhào jìnlái.

A beam of sunlight shone in.

HSK 7-9

他被束缚住了。

Tā bèi shùfù zhù le.

He was bound and restrained.

Tips

usage

As a measure word, 束 is used for things that come in bunches or beams: 一束花 (a bouquet), 一束光 (a beam of light).

memory

The character 束 looks like a tree (木) tied up with a rope in the middle - something bound together.

Components

radical

木 mù

tree; wood (radical)

Outer 木 - a tree with branches above and roots below, the indexing radical for 束. The tree shape wraps around the mouth-square in the middle, picturing branches or kindling tied around a bundle. Connects 束 to the 木-family of plant and binding characters: 林 (forest), 朿 (thorn), 棘 (bramble).

ideograph

口 kǒu

mouth; encirclement

Inner small square functions as an abstract cinch-point marker - fixing exactly where the bundle is tied around the trunk. Not the 'mouth' character per se. The position of this indicator inside 木 gives 束 its senses 'bundle, bind, restrict'. Historically a band tied round a sheaf of branches.