蕕 (yóu) - Caryopteris — a genus of flowering plants in & also refers to a foul-smelling weed in Chinese

蕕Tone 2

yóu ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

咏与

蕕 · yóu

Caryopteris — a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, commonly known as bluebeard;

also refers to a foul-smelling weed in Chinese literature.

Caryopteris — a genus of flowering plants inalso refers to a foul-smelling weed in Chinese

Usage highlights

Bluebeard flowerFragrant caryopterisFoul weedCaryopteris plantBlue mist shrub

Synonyms

  • 莠— noxious weed (often paired with 蕕)

Antonyms

  • 兰— orchid (symbol of fragrance and virtue)
  • 香— fragrant (opposite of foul-smelling)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The garden has beautiful bluebeard shrubs (蕕花).
  • This plant is known for its distinctive aroma (蕕的气味).
  • In traditional texts, it symbolizes foulness (文献中的蕕).

Collocations

  • Bluebeard flower(蕕花)
  • Fragrant caryopteris(香蕕)
  • Foul weed(臭蕕)
  • Caryopteris plant(蕕植物)
  • Blue mist shrub(蓝雾蕕)

Idioms

  • One fragrant flower stands out among foul weeds(一蕕一莠)
  • The fragrant and the foul cannot coexist(香蕕臭莠)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese literary tradition, 蕕 often appears paired with 莠 (yǒu, noxious weed) to represent contrasting qualities of good and evil.
  • The character appears in classical texts like the Zuo Zhuan as a metaphor for moral corruption.
  • Botanically, it refers to Caryopteris species, some of which are cultivated as ornamental plants.

FAQ