百合

• Pinyin: bǎi hé
• Hanzi breakdown: 百 = hundred; 合 = unite/join

Meaning

Lily (the flower); lily bulb (used in cooking and medicine).

Refers to the lily flower, symbolizing purity and good wishes in Chinese culture. Lily bulbs are also a common ingredient in Chinese cuisine and traditional medicine, believed to nourish the lungs.

Examples

1. 她在花瓶里插了几枝白色的百合，整个房间都香了。 She put a few white lilies in the vase, and the whole room smelled wonderful.
2. 百合炒西芹是一道清淡可口的家常菜。 Stir-fried lily bulb with celery is a light and tasty home-style dish.
3. 百合在中医里被认为有润肺止咳的功效。 In traditional Chinese medicine, lily bulb is believed to nourish the lungs and relieve coughs.

Usage Guide

Context: flowers, cooking, medicine

Tone: cultural

Do Say

• 百合花开了。(The lilies are blooming.)
• 这道汤里放了百合。(This soup has lily bulb in it.)

Don't Say

• 混淆百合花和百合(食材) (Be aware 百合 can mean the flower or the edible bulb — context matters)

Origin & History

百 (hundred) + 合 (unite). Legend says the bulb has many layers that 'unite' together.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal