shù
everyday
In pinyin "tree" is shù (树). The two syllable shùmù (树木) means trees in general, as a group.
Meaning: tree (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Note |
|---|---|
| shù | everyday |
| shùmù | trees in general |
In compound words, shù appears in names such as píngguǒshù (苹果树), "apple tree".
How does it change in a sentence?
Chinese needs a measure word between a number and a noun. For trees it is kē (棵), so "one tree" is yì kē shù and "three trees" is sān kē shù.
Did you know?
- March 12 is Arbor Day in China, called Zhíshùjié (植树节), literally "tree planting festival".
Examples in context
- Yuànzi lǐ yǒu yì kē dà shù.There is a big tree in the yard.
- Wǒmen zài shù xià xiūxi.We rest under the tree.
- Zhè kē shù hěn gāo.This tree is very tall.
Example conversation
Grandfather Zhou shows his granddaughter Yue the garden behind their house in Suzhou.
- ZhouNǐ kàn, zhè kē shù hěn lǎo le.Look, this tree is very old.
- YueYéye, tā yǒu duō dà?Grandpa, how old is it?
- ZhouBǐ nǐ bàba hái dà.Older than your father.
