荑 (tí) - To weed & to remove grass
荑 · tí
To weed;
to remove grass;
tender shoots of grass or reeds;
also refers to young, tender hands of a woman.
To weedto remove grasstender shoots of grass or reeds
Usage highlights
Tender shootsTo weed fieldsDelicate handsWeed removalYoung bamboo shootsFresh reeds
Usage & contexts
Examples
- The gardener weeds the field (荑田).
- Tender shoots emerge in spring (柔荑).
- Her hands were as delicate as young reeds (手如柔荑).
- Ancient farmers used simple tools for weeding (芟荑).
Collocations
- Tender shoots(柔荑)
- To weed fields(荑田)
- Delicate hands(荑手)
- Weed removal(芟荑)
- Young bamboo shoots(竹荑)
- Fresh reeds(荑稗)
Idioms
- Hands as delicate as young reeds(手如柔荑)
- To cut down and weed out(芟荑)
- Tender shoots in spring breeze(春荑)
Cultural background
FAQ- In classical Chinese poetry, '柔荑' (róu tí) is a common metaphor for the delicate, beautiful hands of a woman.
- The character appears in the ancient Chinese text 'The Book of Songs' (诗经) in the description of a beautiful woman.
- Originally referred to agricultural activity of weeding, later extended metaphorically to describe youth and tenderness.