薰衣草
xūnyīcǎo
The English word lavender is translated into Chinese as 薰衣草 (xūnyīcǎo).
薰衣草 refers to the plant known as lavender.
Meaning: plant (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The name is composed of 薰 (xūn), meaning to smoke or scent, 衣 (yī), meaning clothes and 草 (cǎo), meaning grass or herb.
How do you pronounce it?
xūnyīcǎo
Did you know?
- The character 薰 can also be used as a verb meaning to fumigate or cure something with incense and smoke.
- In some Chinese literary contexts, the imagery of 'scented clothes' can evoke a sense of refined elegance or a scholarly lifestyle.
- In modern Chinese pop culture, 薰衣草 is often used as a symbol of romantic purity and is a common motif in 'healing' style literature and music.
Examples in context
- 这盆薰衣草很漂亮。Zhè pén xūnyīcǎo hěn piàoliang.This pot of lavender is very beautiful.
- 我想买一些薰衣草。Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yīxiē xūnyīcǎo.I want to buy some lavender.
- 薰衣草的味道很香。Xūnyīcǎo de wèidào hěn xiāng.The scent of lavender is very fragrant.
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Yuting are visiting a flower garden.
- 志强 Zhiqiang雨婷，你看那些薰衣草！Yǔtíng, nǐ kàn nàxiē xūnyīcǎo!Yuting, look at that lavender!
- 雨婷 Yuting哇，颜色真漂亮。Wa, yánsè zhēn piàoliang.Wow, the color is really beautiful.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我们可以买一些薰衣草回家吗？Wǒmen kěyǐ mǎi yīxiē xūnyīcǎo huíjiā ma?Can we buy some lavender to take home?
- 雨婷 Yuting好啊，我正想买一些。Hǎo a, wǒ zhèng xiǎng mǎi yīxiē.Sure, I was just thinking of buying some.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lavender” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
