蒂 (dì) · stem (of a fruit)

Meanings

1 stem (of a fruit)
2 base; root
3 used in transliteration of foreign names

Characters

蒂

dì

stem; base of a fruit

Examples

HSK 4

把苹果的蒂去掉。

Bǎ píngguǒ de dì qùdiào.

Remove the stem of the apple.

HSK 5

这个问题的根蒂在哪里？

Zhège wèntí de gēn dì zài nǎlǐ?

Where is the root of this problem?

Tips

usage

蒂 is commonly seen in transliterations of foreign names, e.g. 蒂姆 (Tim), 肯尼迪 (Kennedy). As a standalone word it refers to the stem or calyx of a fruit.

Components

radical

艹 cǎo

grass; plant

Top grass radical (Kangxi #140 in its three-stroke compressed form) marks 蒂 as a plant-part noun. 蒂 specifically denotes the calyx and stem where a fruit attaches to its plant - the connecting node. Same radical anchors the botanical family 花 flower, 茎 stem, 根 root, 叶 leaf, 茶 tea.

phonetic

帝 dì

emperor

Right side 帝 supplies the sound - dì, an exact phonetic match. Historically 帝 was itself a pictograph of a flower's calyx and stem; ancients extended the image to 'the seat from which all rule springs' = emperor. So 蒂 is a near-redundant double-marking of 'flower calyx': 艹 + the original calyx picture.