梢 (shāo) - tip & end

梢Tone 1

shāo ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

梢 · shāo

tip;

end;

twig;

the thin end of a branch;

also refers to the stern of a ship or rudder.

tipendtwig

Usage highlights

treetoptip of a branchship's rudderyeartip of a poleend of a street

Synonyms

  • 末— end; tip
  • 端— end; extremity
  • 尖— point; tip

Antonyms

  • 根— root; base
  • 本— origin; foundation
  • 首— head; beginning

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The bird perched on a twig (树梢).
  • The ship's rudder is called a helm (船舵的梢).
  • Look at the treetop (树梢).
  • The end of the year (年梢).

Collocations

  • treetop(树梢)
  • tip of a branch(枝梢)
  • ship's rudder(船舵的梢)
  • year-end(年梢)
  • tip of a pole(杆梢)
  • end of a street(街梢)

Idioms

  • Not touching the head or tail(摸不着头脑)
  • From start to finish(从头到尾)
  • To the very end(彻头彻尾)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, '梢' often symbolizes the end or extremity of something, both in nature and in man-made objects.
  • Used in nautical terms to refer to the stern or rudder of a ship, showing its practical application in maritime contexts.
  • Appears in poetic contexts to describe the delicate ends of branches, representing nature's finer details.

FAQ