树

shù

tree

花园里有一棵大树。

There is a big tree in the garden.

formal

A perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, supporting branches and leaves in most species.

这棵树已经活了三百年了。

This tree has been alive for three hundred years.

In Chinese, '树' often refers to larger woody plants, while '树木' (shùmù) is a more general term for trees and wooded plants.

Collocations

树木trees / wooded plants大树big tree树叶tree leaves / foliage种树to plant a tree树林woods / forest

Synonyms

树木乔木

Antonyms

草灌木

Related Phrases

十年树木，百年树人proverb

It takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred years to educate people (a proverb emphasizing the importance of long-term education).

Pro Tip

Distinguishing '树' and '树木'

'树' often refers to an individual tree, while '树木' is a collective term for trees and wooded plants. For example, '一棵树' (a tree) vs. '很多树木' (many trees).

Gold Rule

Pluralization

In Chinese, '树' does not change form for pluralization. Context or a numeral (e.g., '三棵树' for 'three trees') indicates quantity.

Word Origin

The character '树' (shù) is composed of the semantic component '木' (mù, meaning 'wood' or 'tree') and the phonetic component '寸' (cùn, meaning 'inch'). Originally, it meant 'to plant' or 'to cultivate,' as seen in ancient texts like the 'Book of Songs.' Over time, it evolved to specifically denote 'tree' or 'wooded plant.'

Usage Notes

In modern Chinese, '树' typically refers to larger trees, while smaller plants or shrubs may be called '树木' (trees in general) or '灌木' (shrubs). The verb '种树' (to plant a tree) is commonly used in environmental contexts.

Word Breakdown

木

wood / tree

semantic

寸

phonetic component (originally 'inch')

phonetic

汉英词典

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