草

• Pinyin: cǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 草 = 艹 (grass radical) + 早 (early, phonetic component)

Meaning

Grass; herb. The general term for grass and herbaceous plants.

Used to refer to grass, weeds, and herbs in general. Appears in many compound words related to plants and nature. The grass radical 艹 at the top of many plant-related characters derives from this word.

Examples

1. 公园里的草又绿又漂亮。 The grass in the park is green and beautiful.
2. 请不要在草上走路。 Please don't walk on the grass.
3. 春天来了，小草长出来了。 Spring has come, and the little grass sprouts are growing.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, parks, outdoor activities, gardening

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 这里的草长得很好。(The grass here is growing well.)
• 小草从土里长出来了。(Little grass sprouts are growing out of the soil.)

Don't Say

• Do not confuse 草 with 菜 — 草 is grass or wild herbs, while 菜 is vegetables or dishes for eating.

Origin & History

Pictophonetic character. The top radical 艹 represents plants, and the bottom component 早 provides a phonetic hint.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal