荆条

荊條

jīngtiáo

noun

Measure Word

一根荆条 gēn

Meanings

1 chaste-tree twigs
2 wicker
3 birch rod (for flogging)

Characters

chaste tree; thorny brushwood

Examples

HSK 6

古时候，犯了错的人有时会背着荆条上门请罪。

Gǔshíhou, fàn le cuò de rén yǒushí huì bēi zhe jīngtiáo shàngmén qǐngzuì.

In ancient times, someone who had done wrong might come to the door with thorn rods on his back to ask for punishment.

HSK 7-9

爷爷会用荆条编筐。

Yéye huì yòng jīngtiáo biān kuāng.

Grandpa can weave baskets out of chaste-tree twigs.

Tips

culture

The idiom 负荆请罪 "to carry thorns and ask for punishment" comes from the general 廉颇, who came to the minister 蔺相如 with rods on his bare back to apologize. The Water Margin hero 李逵 does the same in the play 李逵负荆.

Stroke Order

荆 jīng

条 tiáo