藷 (shǔ) - Taro — a starchy root vegetable & potato

藷Tone 3

shǔ ｜ 18 strokes ｜ radical:

姝树

藷 · shǔ

Taro — a starchy root vegetable;

potato;

sweet potato;

refers to various tuber crops.

Taro — a starchy root vegetablepotatosweet potato

Usage highlights

TaroSweet potatoPotato starchTaro rootTaro pasteWild yam

Synonyms

  • 芋— taro (more common term)
  • 薯— potato, tuber (variant form)
  • 甘薯— sweet potato

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • We harvested taro (芋藷) from the garden.
  • Sweet potato (甘藷) is a nutritious food.
  • This dish contains potato starch (藷粉).
  • Taro root (藷块) is used in traditional desserts.

Collocations

  • Taro(芋藷)
  • Sweet potato(甘藷)
  • Potato starch(藷粉)
  • Taro root(藷块)
  • Taro paste(藷泥)
  • Wild yam(野藷)

Idioms

  • As common as potatoes(藷芋之常)
  • Taro and millet — humble food(藷粟)
  • Sweet potato vines spreading — thriving(藷蔓)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Taro and sweet potatoes were traditional staple foods in many Asian agricultural societies.
  • The character appears in names of various root crops important in Chinese cuisine and agriculture.
  • Historically associated with humble, rustic food and subsistence farming.

FAQ