枫 (fēng) · maple (tree)

Measure Word

一棵枫树 kē

Meanings

1 maple (tree)

Characters

枫

fēng

maple

Examples

HSK 5

秋天的枫叶特别美。

Qiūtiān de fēngyè tèbié měi.

Maple leaves are especially beautiful in autumn.

HSK 7-9

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 (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 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.