槐 (huái): Chinese scholar tree (Sophora j…

Meanings

1 Chinese scholar tree (Sophora japonica)
2 pagoda tree

Characters

槐

huái

scholar tree

Examples

院门口长着一棵老槐树。

Yuàn ménkǒu zhǎng zhe yì kē lǎo huáishù.

There is an old scholar tree growing in front of the courtyard gate.

五月槐花开，满街都是香味。

Wǔyuè huái huā kāi, mǎn jiē dōu shì xiāngwèi.

In May the scholar trees bloom and the whole street smells sweet.

Tips

culture

The 槐树 (scholar tree) is a classic northern street tree; its fragrant white blossoms are even eaten. In old texts the tree symbolized high office and the imperial court.

Components

radical

木 mù

tree; wood

The tree radical. 槐 names a specific species, so the wood radical plants it firmly in the tree family alongside 松, 柳 and 桐.

phonetic

鬼 guǐ

ghost

Provides the sound; guǐ shifted to huái. The ghost meaning does not carry into the tree, but the eerie image makes the reading easy to remember.

Stroke Order

槐 huái

Related Words

槐树 huáishù HSK 7-9 #90,571

Chinese scholar tree / pagoda tree / locust tree (Sophora japonica)

洋槐树 yánghuáishù

black locust tree (Robinia pseudoacacia) / false acacia

指桑骂槐 zhǐsāng-màhuái

to point at the mulberry and curse the locust / to make oblique accusations / to scold one person while targeting another

树上 shùshàng #7,395

on a tree; in a tree; up in a tree

华 huá #3,908

China; Chinese (in compounds) / magnificent; splendid / prosperous; flourishing

划 huà HSK 4 #2,733

to plan; to map out / to delimit; to demarcate; to assign / to draw (a line); to mark / to transfer (funds, jurisdiction) / stroke of a Chinese character

汉 hàn #4,197

Han (Chinese); the Han ethnicity / man; fellow / the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE)

华裔 huáyì HSK 7-9 #32,694

ethnic Chinese (foreign citizen) / person of Chinese descent

柳 liǔ #9,621

willow (tree) / a common Chinese surname (Liu)

树叶 shùyè HSK 4 #9,930

tree leaf; tree leaves; foliage