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

Meanings

1 Chinese scholar tree (Sophora japonica)
2 pagoda tree

Characters

槐

huái

scholar tree

Examples

HSK 4

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.

HSK 7-9

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