莖 (jīng) - stem, stalk & the main axis of a plant that supports

莖Tone 1

jīng ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

傑君

莖 · jīng

stem, stalk;

the main axis of a plant that supports leaves, flowers, and fruits;

also used in some technical contexts for shaft or rod-like structures.

stem, stalkthe main axis of a plant that supportsalso used in some technical contexts for shaft

Usage highlights

plant stemflower stemunderground stemstem diameterstem cellthick stem

Synonyms

  • 幹— trunk, main part (often used for tree trunks or in abstract senses)
  • 梗— stalk, stem (especially in botanical or informal contexts)

Antonyms

  • 根— root (the underground part as opposed to the above-ground stem)
  • 葉— leaf (the lateral organ as opposed to the central stem)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The plant has a thick stem (粗莖).
  • Flowers grow from the stem (花莖).
  • The underground stem stores nutrients (地下莖).
  • Measure the stem diameter (莖直徑).

Collocations

  • plant stem(植物莖)
  • flower stem(花莖)
  • underground stem(地下莖)
  • stem diameter(莖直徑)
  • stem cell(莖細胞)
  • thick stem(粗莖)

Idioms

  • From root to stem(由根到莖)
  • Stem and leaf(莖葉)
  • Breaking stems and damaging leaves(折莖損葉)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, certain plant stems are used for their medicinal properties.
  • The character appears in botanical and agricultural contexts, reflecting the importance of plant cultivation in Chinese civilization.
  • In modern usage, it is part of the term for 'stem cell' (幹細胞), though 幹 is more commonly used in that compound.

FAQ