蒲 (pú) - Rush — refers to plants of the genus & also used in place names and surnames.

蒲Tone 2

pú ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

柠七

蒲 · pú

Rush — refers to plants of the genus Typha (cattail/bulrush);

also used in place names and surnames.

Rush — refers to plants of the genusalso used in place names and surnames.

Usage highlights

Cattail plantCattail matCattail fanSurname PuPuzhou placePukui plant

Synonyms

  • 香蒲— cattail (specific plant name)
  • 蒲草— cattail grass

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The cattail plant (蒲草) grows in wetlands.
  • He is from Puzhou (蒲州).
  • Traditional mats were made from cattails (蒲席).
  • The surname Pu (蒲) is relatively uncommon.

Collocations

  • Cattail plant(蒲草)
  • Cattail mat(蒲席)
  • Cattail fan(蒲扇)
  • Surname Pu(蒲姓)
  • Puzhou place(蒲州)
  • Pukui plant(蒲葵)

Idioms

  • To bow and scrape(蒲鞭之政)
  • Cattail and willow(蒲柳之姿)
  • Rush cushion(蒲团)
  • To tie cattails into a raft(束蒲为脯)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used for making mats, fans, and cushions due to its flexible, durable stems.
  • Associated with humility and simplicity in Confucian culture (e.g., 蒲鞭之政).
  • Common in Chinese toponymy and as a surname, especially in Shanxi and Sichuan.

FAQ