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棣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
棣dìcherry; Kerria japonican, 12 strokes, radical 木
dì(di4) T4
  1. 1cherry; Kerria japonica
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

棣dì(di4)

The character 棣 (dì) refers to the cherry tree, specifically the Kerria japonica, which is a flowering shrub. It is often associated with beauty and delicate flowers, making it a popular subject in Chinese poetry and art. This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation, typically appearing in botanical contexts or literary references.

Strokes12Radical木
Cultural Note

The cherry blossom holds significant cultural importance in China, symbolizing beauty and the transient nature of life, which is celebrated during festivals and in art. The character 棣 connects to this tradition through its botanical reference to a specific type of cherry.

Memory Tip

Imagine a delicate cherry blossom (the image of the flower) with its bright, cheerful colors. The character 棣 has the '木' radical (tree) which represents its botanical nature, and the '提' sounds like 'dì', reminiscent of a gentle breeze carrying the sweet scent of cherry blossoms.

Meanings of 棣

dì(di4)
1cherry; Kerria japonica
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 棣

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

Podcast: 棣

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Podcast: 棣

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AI Study Notes for 棣

Usage Notes

In formal contexts, such as botanical discussions or poetry, 棣 is appropriately used. However, learners often confuse it with more common words for 'flower' or 'tree'. Remember that this character is specific to the Kerria japonica, not just any cherry tree.

HSK Study Tips

Though 棣 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, understanding this character can help enhance your botanical vocabulary. Students should focus on recognizing the '木' radical as it frequently appears in other tree-related characters.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 棣 with similar-sounding characters like '地' (dì), which means 'earth' or 'land'. It's important to remember that 棣 specifically refers to a type of cherry tree.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 棣

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Etymology of 棣

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

tree

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 棣

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half隶 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 棣? 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 棣?

Decomposition of 棣

IDS Structure⿰木隶
棣Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
隶li4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 棣?

How to say cherry; Kerria japonica in Chinese

“cherry; Kerria japonica” in Chinese is棣dì

The character 棣 (dì) refers to the cherry tree, specifically the Kerria japonica, which is a flowering shrub. It is often associated with beauty and delicate flowers, making it a popular subject in Chinese poetry and art. This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation, typically appearing in botanical contexts or literary references.

When to use 棣

In formal contexts, such as botanical discussions or poetry, 棣 is appropriately used. However, learners often confuse it with more common words for 'flower' or 'tree'. Remember that this character is specific to the Kerria japonica, not just any cherry tree.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 棣 with similar-sounding characters like '地' (dì), which means 'earth' or 'land'. It's important to remember that 棣 specifically refers to a type of cherry tree.

Write 棣

棣

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 棣

Words Containing This Character6
朱棣Zhu Di, personal name of third Ming Emperor Yongle 永樂|永乐[Yǒng​lè]
棣dìKerria japonica
柯棣华Dwarkanath Kotnis (1910-1942), one of five Indian doctors sent to China to provide medical assistance during the Second Sino-Japanese War柯棣華
唐棣shadbush or shadberry (genus Amelanchier)
无棣县Wudi county in Binzhou 濱州|滨州[Bīn​zhōu], Shandong無棣縣
无棣Wudi county in Binzhou 濱州|滨州[Bīn​zhōu], Shandong無棣
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 朱棣 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 棣

No, 棣 is primarily used in literary and botanical contexts rather than in daily speech.

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