蔲 (kòu) - An alternative/variant form of 蔻 (kòu), primarily used & by extension, it metaphorically describes a young girl

蔲Tone 4

kòu ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

蔲 · kòu

An alternative/variant form of 蔻 (kòu), primarily used in the word 豆蔻 (dòukòu), which refers to the cardamom plant;

by extension, it metaphorically describes a young girl in her early teens.

An alternative/variant form of 蔻 (kòu), primarily usedby extension, it metaphorically describes a young girl

Usage highlights

CardamomEarly teenage years of a girlCardamom fragranceCardamom seeds

Synonyms

  • 蔻— Standard form for cardamom
  • 少女— young girl

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The cardamom plant (豆蔻) is used in cooking and traditional medicine.
  • She is a maiden in her early teens (豆蔻年华).
  • This perfume has a cardamom note (豆蔻香).

Collocations

  • Cardamom(豆蔻)
  • Early teenage years of a girl(豆蔻年华)
  • Cardamom fragrance(豆蔻香)
  • Cardamom seeds(豆蔻籽)

Idioms

  • The budding youth of a maiden(豆蔻年华)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The term 豆蔻年华 originates from a Tang dynasty poem by Du Mu, where 豆蔻 (cardamom) was used as a metaphor for a 13-year-old girl, symbolizing youth, purity, and budding beauty.
  • In traditional Chinese culture, specific flowers and plants are often used to represent different stages of a woman's life.
  • This character is primarily used in its variant form 蔻 in modern Chinese.

FAQ