枫 (fēng): maple (tree)

Measure Word

一棵枫树 kē

Meanings

1 maple (tree)

Characters

枫

fēng

maple

Examples

秋天的枫叶特别美。

Qiūtiān de fēngyè tèbié měi.

Maple leaves are especially beautiful in autumn.

这条路两旁种满了枫树。

Zhè tiáo lù liǎngpáng zhòng mǎn le fēngshù.

This road is lined with maple trees on both sides.

Tips

culture

枫叶 (fēngyè, maple leaf) is a classic symbol of autumn in Chinese poetry. The famous Tang poem 'Mountain Journey' (山行) by Du Mu features the line 停车坐爱枫林晚.

Components

radical

木 mù

tree; wood

Tree radical on the left, the indexing component. Pictograph of a tree with branches above and roots below. It places 枫 squarely in the tree family: 松 pine, 柏 cypress, 柳 willow, 桃 peach, 桂 osmanthus — anywhere you see 木 on the left, expect a species or wooden object.

phonetic

风 fēng

wind

Right side 风 fēng supplies the sound exactly — same syllable, same tone. It also lends a touch of meaning: the maple is famous for its leaves dancing in autumn wind, so 'wind-tree' is a fitting picture. Traditional form was 楓 with the older 風 phonetic.