Definitions
(noun)
chestnut
(verb)
tremble; shiver
Etymology
Depicts a tree (木) with chestnuts.
About
The character "栗", representing the chestnut tree and its nut, has maintained a consistent form and core meaning throughout its history. Its structure is a combination of the "tree" radical (木) positioned above the component for "west" (西), which in its earliest depictions was not related to direction but instead depicted a bag or basket, a form that visually suggested the spiny husk enclosing the edible nuts. While its primary denotation has always been the plant itself, a notable semantic extension occurred where the character also acquired the verbal meaning "to tremble or shudder", a sense derived from the observable quivering of the chestnut tree's leaves. This dual meaning is preserved in the modern usage of the character, where context determines whether it signifies the tangible object or the abstract action of fear-induced trembling.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我喜欢吃糖炒栗子。
栗子树生长在山上。
冬天喝栗子汤很暖和。
他因寒冷而战栗。
栗色的马在草地上奔跑。
栗子富含淀粉和蛋白质。
听到这个消息，她不禁战栗起来。
在黑暗中，他感到一阵战栗。