楮 (chǔ) - Paper mulberry tree (Broussonetia papyrifera) & paper

楮Tone 3

chǔ ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

楮 · chǔ

Paper mulberry tree (Broussonetia papyrifera);

paper;

money (archaic);

also used as a surname.

Paper mulberry tree (Broussonetia papyrifera)papermoney (archaic)

Usage highlights

Paper mulberryPaper mulberry barkPaper moneyPaper and inkMr. ChuMulberry paper

Synonyms

  • 纸— paper (modern term)
  • 币— currency, money (modern term)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Paper mulberry bark is used for papermaking (楮皮纸).
  • Ancient Chinese paper money was called jiaozi (交子) or chao (钞), made from paper mulberry (楮币).
  • The term '楮墨' refers to paper and ink, symbolizing writing or calligraphy (楮墨).
  • In literary contexts, '楮先生' is a personification of paper (楮先生).

Collocations

  • Paper mulberry(楮树)
  • Paper mulberry bark(楮皮)
  • Paper money (archaic)(楮币)
  • Paper and ink(楮墨)
  • Mr. Chu (personified paper)(楮先生)
  • Mulberry paper(桑楮)

Idioms

  • Ingenious imitation(刻楮功深)
  • Indistinguishable from the real thing(莫辨楮叶)
  • Only paper and ink remain(只字片楮)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The paper mulberry tree was historically crucial for papermaking in China, with its bark fibers being the primary raw material.
  • In literary tradition, paper was personified as '楮先生' (Mr. Chu), reflecting the scholar's reverence for writing materials.
  • The character appears in classical texts and idioms related to writing, imitation, and authenticity.

FAQ