HSK · Level 2
130 words
Chinese word
芽
Pronunciation
Pinyinyá
Meaning
- nounbud
Example
这棵树长出了芽。zhè kē shù zhǎng chū le yá
This tree has put out buds.
More examples
寒冷过后，枝头的芽又开始膨大了。hán lěng guò hòu zhī tóu de yá yòu kāi shǐ péng dà le
After the cold spell, the buds at the ends of the branches began to swell again.
Core concept
The first visible point of growth, whether it pushes out from a plant or begins to appear in a new development.
Common phrases
长出芽zhǎng chū yá
put out buds
新芽xīn yá
new bud
叶芽yè yá
leaf bud
Similar words
萌芽méng yá: An early sign that something such as an idea or trend is starting to appear.
苗miáo: A small young plant raised for use in a garden or on a farm.
新芽xīn yá: A newly growing bud that has just appeared on a plant.
Definition in Chinese
植物长出的嫩生部分，也可比喻事物刚开始出现的阶段，如想法或趋势的初期。zhí wù zhǎng chū de nèn shēng bù fèn yě kě bǐ yù shì wù gāng kāi shǐ chū xiàn de jiē duàn rú xiáng fǎ huò qū shì de chū qī
Word origin
In 芽 (yá, "bud"), 艹 (cǎo, "grass") signals a plant-related meaning, while 牙 (yá, "tooth") is the sound-bearing component; the character therefore combines meaning with pronunciation.
Usage tips
- English often expresses an abstract use with a phrase such as "early signs," so a literal plant-based rendering can sound less natural than a phrase about something beginning.
Other meanings
- sproutnoun
- germinationnoun
Related words
- 发芽fā yágerminateverb
- 萌芽méng yábuddingnoun
- 出芽chū yásproutverb