芥 (jiè) - mustard plant & mustard

芥Tone 4

jiè ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 艹

傑君

芥 · jiè

mustard plant;

mustard;

small grass;

trivial matter;

minute particle

mustard plantmustardsmall grass

Usage highlights

mustardmustard greensmustard seedgrudge or grievancedust particlegrass mustard

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 重大— important, significant
  • 珍贵— precious, valuable

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Mustard greens are a common vegetable (芥菜).
  • Mustard is a popular condiment (芥末).
  • The tiny seed grew into a large plant (芥子).
  • He doesn't care about such trivial matters (芥蒂).

Collocations

  • mustard(芥末)
  • mustard greens(芥菜)
  • mustard seed(芥子)
  • grudge or grievance(芥蒂)
  • dust particle(尘芥)
  • grass mustard(草芥)

Idioms

  • To regard as worthless grass(视如草芥)
  • Not the slightest resentment(毫无芥蒂)
  • Extremely small(纤芥之疾)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, mustard seeds symbolize something very small or insignificant, similar to their use in Buddhist teachings.
  • The phrase '视如草芥' (regard as worthless grass) reflects traditional values where human life was sometimes treated as expendable by rulers.
  • Mustard has been used in Chinese cuisine and medicine for thousands of years, valued for both its flavor and medicinal properties.

FAQ