蔕 (dì) - Calyx, base of a flower & stem or peduncle connecting fruit to plant

蔕Tone 4

dì ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

蔕 · dì

Calyx, base of a flower;

stem or peduncle connecting fruit to plant;

metaphorically, foundation or root cause.

Calyx, base of a flowerstem or peduncle connecting fruit to plantmetaphorically, foundation or root cause.

Usage highlights

Flower calyxFruit stemRoot causeStem baseRemove the stemPersistent calyx

Synonyms

  • 蒂— Calyx, stem (modern simplified form)
  • 花萼— Calyx (botanical term)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The flower's calyx (花蔕) protects the bud.
  • Remove the stem (蔕头) before eating the fruit.
  • The root cause (病蔕) of the problem must be addressed.
  • The fruit's connection to the branch is called the peduncle (果蔕).

Collocations

  • Flower calyx(花蔕)
  • Fruit stem(果蔕)
  • Root cause(病蔕)
  • Stem base(蔕头)
  • Remove the stem(去蔕)
  • Persistent calyx(宿蔕)

Idioms

  • Cut the melon by removing its stem(瓜熟蔕落)
  • No root, no stem(无根无蔕)
  • Remove the root and stem(并蔕连根)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, 蔕 was used to describe the root cause of illness.
  • The character appears in classical botanical texts describing plant anatomy.
  • The idiom 瓜熟蔕落 expresses the natural progression of events when conditions are ripe.

FAQ