红杉
hóngshān
The English word "sequoia" is translated into Mandarin as 红杉 (hóngshān).
红杉 is the term used to refer to the sequoia or redwood tree.
Meaning: tree (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term literally translates to "red fir" or "red cedar".
Which one should you use?
You may encounter 红杉树 when specifically referring to the sequoia tree in a more formal context. If you are referring specifically to the Giant Sequoia, the formal term is 巨杉.
How do you pronounce it?
hóngshān
Did you know?
- To specify a 'Giant Sequoia', Mandarin uses 巨 meaning 'huge', which is the same character used in 巨无霸, the Chinese name for the McDonald's Big Mac.
- While 红杉 describes the tree, the word 红杉 is also the name of Sequoia Capital, one of the world's most influential venture capital firms with a major presence in China.
- In Chinese culture, the character 杉 is associated with strength and integrity, often appearing in classical poetry to symbolize a noble person who remains steadfast in a difficult environment.
Examples in context
- 巨杉是北美洲的一种古老而庄严的树种。Giant sequoia is an ancient and majestic tree species in North America.
- 红杉树是美国西部的代表性树种。The sequoia tree is a representative species in the western United States.
- 巨杉木在加利福尼亚非常常见。Giant redwoods are very common in California.
- 那棵红杉非常高。Nà kē hóngshān fēicháng gāo.That sequoia is very tall.
- 公园里有很多红杉。Gōngyuán lǐ yǒu hěnduō hóngshān.There are many sequoias in the park.
- 我喜欢红杉的味道。Wǒ xǐhuān hóngshān de wèidào.I like the scent of the sequoia.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are walking through a forest.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你看那棵红杉有多大！Nǐ kàn nà kē hóngshān yǒu duō dà!Look how big that sequoia is!
- 伟 Wei它真的好壮观啊。Tā zhēnde hǎo zhuāngguān a.It is truly spectacular.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我想多拍几张红杉的照片。Wǒ xiǎng duō pāi jǐ zhāng hóngshān de zhàopiàn.I want to take more photos of the sequoia.
- 伟 Wei好啊，我们走近点看。Hǎo a, wǒmen zǒujìn diǎn kàn.Sure, let's walk closer to see.
