田

• Pinyin: tián
• Hanzi breakdown: 田 = pictograph of a divided agricultural field

Meaning

Field; farmland; paddy. An area of land used for cultivating crops.

One of the most basic Chinese characters, appearing in many compounds: 田地 (farmland), 稻田 (rice paddy), 麦田 (wheat field), 田野 (open fields), 田园 (pastoral, countryside). Also a common surname. The character's square shape pictographically represents a divided field. Contrast with 地 (general land) and 野 (wilderness).

Examples

1. 春天到了，农民们开始在田里播种。 Spring has arrived, and farmers are starting to sow seeds in the fields.
2. 金黄色的麦田在阳光下格外美丽。 The golden wheat fields look especially beautiful in the sunlight.
3. 他退休后回到老家，过上了田园生活。 After retiring, he returned to his hometown and started living a pastoral life.

Usage Guide

Context: agriculture, countryside, nature

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 这片田是我爷爷留下来的。(This field was left by my grandfather.)
• 田里的庄稼长得很好。(The crops in the field are growing well.)

Don't Say

• 建筑用地不叫'田'，叫'地皮'或'土地' (Construction land isn't called 田 — use 地皮 or 土地 instead)

Origin & History

A pictograph depicting a field divided into sections by irrigation channels or paths. One of the oldest Chinese characters, dating back to oracle bone script.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal