荳 (dòu) - Bean — an archaic or variant form of

荳Tone 4

dòu ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

丁恩

荳 · dòu

Bean — an archaic or variant form of 豆 (bean), used in classical texts and certain compound words to refer to beans or bean-shaped objects.

Bean — an archaic or variant form of

Usage highlights

Red beanSoybeanMung beanBean sproutBean pasteBean curd

Synonyms

  • 豆— bean (modern standard form)
  • 菽— beans, legumes (classical term)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Red beans are called red beans (赤荳).
  • Soybeans are an important crop (大豆 dàdòu, sometimes written 大荳).
  • Mung beans are used in desserts (绿豆 lǜdòu, sometimes written 綠荳).
  • Bean sprouts are a common vegetable (豆芽 dòuyá, sometimes written 荳芽).

Collocations

  • Red bean(赤荳)
  • Soybean(大荳)
  • Mung bean(綠荳)
  • Bean sprout(荳芽)
  • Bean paste(荳沙)
  • Bean curd(荳腐)

Idioms

  • Cut the melons and divide the beans(瓜分荳剖)
  • Innocent and naive(荳蔻年华 - referring to teenage years)
  • As close as beans in a pod(形如荳荚)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 荳 is an older variant form of 豆, commonly used in classical Chinese literature and historical texts.
  • The character appears in traditional medicine texts referring to various beans used for medicinal purposes.
  • In naming contexts, 荳 carries a classical, literary feel compared to the more modern 豆.

FAQ