藜 (lí) - Chenopodium — refers to goosefoot or lamb's quarters, & also used in names and classical literature.

藜Tone 2

lí ｜ 18 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

藜 · lí

Chenopodium — refers to goosefoot or lamb's quarters, a type of edible wild plant;

also used in names and classical literature.

Chenopodium — refers to goosefoot or lamb's quarters,also used in names and classical literature.

Usage highlights

Goosefoot plantLamb's quartersGoosefoot stalkHumble vegetablesChenopodium albumQuinoa

Synonyms

  • 灰菜— Gray vegetable (common name for goosefoot)
  • 灰藜— Gray goosefoot

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The goosefoot plant (藜麦) is nutritious.
  • He picked some lamb's quarters (藜) for cooking.
  • In ancient texts, 藜 often appears as a humble vegetable (藜藿).
  • They used a goosefoot stalk as a walking stick (藜杖).

Collocations

  • Goosefoot plant(藜)
  • Lamb's quarters(藜)
  • Goosefoot stalk(藜杖)
  • Humble vegetables(藜藿)
  • Chenopodium album(藜)
  • Quinoa(藜麦)

Idioms

  • Eating coarse vegetables and wearing ragged clothes(藜藿不糁)
  • Using a goosefoot stalk as a cane(杖藜)
  • Living on wild herbs(藜羹)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese literature, 藜 often symbolizes poverty, humility, or rustic life.
  • The plant was historically consumed by common people and hermits as a simple food source.
  • The goosefoot stalk (藜杖) was used by the elderly or scholars as a walking stick.

FAQ