蓮 (lián) - Lotus — an aquatic plant with large, showy

蓮Tone 2

lián ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

蓮 · lián

Lotus — an aquatic plant with large, showy flowers, symbolic of purity, beauty, and enlightenment in Asian cultures.

Lotus — an aquatic plant with large, showy

Usage highlights

Lotus flowerLotus rootLotus seedLotus pondLotus leafLotus throne

Synonyms

  • 荷— Lotus (often used interchangeably with 莲)
  • 芙蓉— Lotus (literary term)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The lotus flower blooms in muddy water (莲花).
  • Lotus root is a common ingredient in Asian cuisine (莲藕).
  • The Buddha is often depicted seated on a lotus throne (莲座).
  • Lotus seeds are used in desserts and traditional medicine (莲子).

Collocations

  • Lotus flower(莲花)
  • Lotus root(莲藕)
  • Lotus seed(莲子)
  • Lotus pond(莲池)
  • Lotus leaf(莲叶)
  • Lotus throne(莲座)

Idioms

  • Step by step, the lotus blossoms(步步生莲)
  • Out of mud grows the lotus(出淤泥而不染)
  • Lotus in the breeze(风中之莲)
  • Tongue of the lotus(舌灿莲花)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Buddhism, the lotus symbolizes purity, enlightenment, and rebirth, as it rises unstained from muddy waters.
  • In Chinese culture, it represents summer, harmony, and marital bliss, and is one of the 'Four Gentlemen' in art.
  • The lotus is associated with the Confucian ideal of the virtuous scholar who remains uncorrupted by society.

FAQ