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棠 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
棠tángcrabapple tree; wild plumn, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #77971, Very Hard
棠tángcherry-appleunknown, 12 strokes, radical 木, rank #77971, Very Hard
táng(tang2) T2
  1. 1crabapple tree; wild plum
  2. 2cherry-apple
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

棠táng(tang2)

The character 棠 (táng) refers to a type of tree commonly known as the crabapple or wild plum. It is often associated with fruit-bearing trees and can also signify the beauty of nature, particularly in literary contexts. This term is not frequently used in everyday conversation but may appear in poetry or discussions about flora.

Strokes12Radical木Frequency#77971DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the crabapple tree is often admired for its beautiful blossoms in spring, symbolizing renewal and beauty. It may also be referenced in traditional poetry, celebrating nature.

Memory Tip

Imagine a crabapple tree in a beautiful garden. The character 棠 consists of the radical 木 (mù), which means 'tree', and the component 唐 (táng), which sounds like 'tang' in 'tangy', reminiscent of the sour taste of crabapples. Picture a tangy crabapple hanging from the tree, making it easier to remember both its meaning and its pronunciation.

Meanings of 棠

táng(tang2)
1crabapple tree; wild plum
2cherry-apple
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 棠

棠Simplified
12Strokes
木Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 棠

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Podcast: 棠

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AI Study Notes for 棠

Usage Notes

Be aware that 棠 is more commonly found in written Chinese than spoken language. It is often used in a literary or poetic context. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words like 糖 (táng), which means 'sugar'.

HSK Study Tips

Though 棠 is not part of HSK vocabulary, it connects well with other HSK words related to nature and plants, like 花 (huā, flower) and 树 (shù, tree). Focus on the radicals to help memorize its meaning.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 棠 (táng) with 糖 (táng), leading to miscommunication about trees versus sugar. Remember that 棠 relates to trees, while 糖 refers to sweet substances.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 棠

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Etymology of 棠

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 尚 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

tree

Semantic (meaning)木
+
Phonetic (sound)尚
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 棠

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 尚 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half尚 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaytree
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 棠? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 棠?

Decomposition of 棠

IDS Structure⿱尚木
棠Full Character
=
尚Shang4
top
木Mu4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 棠?

How to say crabapple tree; wild plum in Chinese

“crabapple tree; wild plum” in Chinese is棠táng

The character 棠 (táng) refers to a type of tree commonly known as the crabapple or wild plum. It is often associated with fruit-bearing trees and can also signify the beauty of nature, particularly in literary contexts. This term is not frequently used in everyday conversation but may appear in poetry or discussions about flora.

When to use 棠

Be aware that 棠 is more commonly found in written Chinese than spoken language. It is often used in a literary or poetic context. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words like 糖 (táng), which means 'sugar'.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 棠 (táng) with 糖 (táng), leading to miscommunication about trees versus sugar. Remember that 棠 relates to trees, while 糖 refers to sweet substances.

Write 棠

棠

Practice writing 棠 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 棠

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, crabapple trees are often appreciated for their ornamental value, whereas in Chinese culture, they may carry deeper symbolic meanings related to nature and beauty.

Word Family of 棠

Words Containing This Character6
左宗棠Zuo Zongtang (1812-1885), Chinese administrator and military leader
棠tángcherry-apple
秋海棠begonia
海棠花Chinese flowering crab-apple (Malus spectabilis)
棠梨birch-leaved pear (Pyrus betulaefolia)
孙毓棠Sun Yutang (1911-1985), historian and poet, studied in Tokyo, Oxford and Harvard孫毓棠
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 左宗棠 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 棠

棠 specifically refers to crabapple or wild plum, while other characters like 苹果 (píngguǒ) refer to apples and 柿子 (shìzi) to persimmons.

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