豆 (dòu) - bean & a vessel of ancient China, often used in

豆Tone 4

dòu ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 豆

丁恩

豆 · dòu

bean;

a vessel of ancient China, often used in sacrifices;

a unit of capacity in ancient China;

a surname.

beana vessel of ancient China, often used ina unit of capacity in ancient China

Usage highlights

soybeanred beanmung beanbean curd/tofubean sproutcoffee bean

Synonyms

  • 黄豆— soybean (specifically yellow bean)
  • 豆子— beans (general term)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I like to eat soybeans (大豆).
  • This is a bowl of red beans (红豆).
  • Tofu is made from soybeans (豆腐).
  • He planted mung beans (绿豆) in the garden.

Collocations

  • soybean(大豆)
  • red bean(红豆)
  • mung bean(绿豆)
  • bean curd/tofu(豆腐)
  • bean sprout(豆芽)
  • coffee bean(咖啡豆)

Idioms

  • Trivial matter(鸡毛蒜皮, lit. chicken feathers, garlic skins, and bean sprouts)
  • Narrow-minded(目光如豆, lit. vision like a bean)
  • Cut off the source while the beans are burning(煮豆燃萁, lit. burning beanstalks to cook beans)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the earliest domesticated crops in China, with archaeological evidence dating back thousands of years.
  • In ancient times, '豆' also referred to a type of ritual bronze vessel used for holding food in sacrifices.
  • Beans are symbolically associated with fertility, abundance, and the cycle of life in Chinese culture.

FAQ