荼 (tú) - A bitter edible plant & thistle

荼Tone 2

tú ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

婷婉

荼 · tú

A bitter edible plant;

thistle;

also refers to a white flowering rush;

extended to mean suffering, hardship, or poison.

A bitter edible plantthistlealso refers to a white flowering rush

Usage highlights

Suffering and poisonThistles and thornsBitter sufferingAs white as reed flowersThistle plantReed flower

Synonyms

  • 苦— bitter; hardship
  • 毒— poison; toxin

Antonyms

  • 甘— sweet; pleasant
  • 乐— joy; happiness

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The fields were overgrown with thistles (荼草).
  • They endured great suffering (荼毒).
  • The white flowers of the reed (荼蘼) bloom in late spring.
  • He faced a bitter ordeal (荼苦).

Collocations

  • Suffering and poison(荼毒)
  • Thistles and thorns(荼棘)
  • Bitter suffering(荼苦)
  • As white as reed flowers(如火如荼)
  • Thistle plant(荼草)
  • Reed flower(荼蘼)

Idioms

  • Like fire, like flowering rush — describing something vigorous and flourishing(如火如荼)
  • Suffering and poison the masses(荼毒生灵)
  • Enduring the bitterness of thistles(含荼茹苦)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 荼 was historically a term for a bitter, edible plant, later extended metaphorically to represent suffering or poison.
  • In the idiom '如火如荼', 荼 refers to the white flowers of the reed, creating a vivid image of flourishing intensity.
  • The character appears in classical texts to describe both natural flora and metaphorical hardship.

FAQ