Definitions

zāi (verb) to plant; to grow
zāi (verb) to fall head first

Etymology phono-semantic

tree

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 栽, composed of the component 戈 positioned above 木, derives from an early conceptual blend of a tool or weapon with a tree, indicating its original association with the act of planting or cultivating vegetation. This foundational sense of physically placing plants into the ground to grow remained central, yet over time the character's usage broadened to encompass figurative meanings, such as establishing non-physical things or imposing situations onto others, evident in terms like 栽赃, meaning to fabricate evidence against someone. Its structural form has persisted without major alteration, with the components continuing to symbolically reference the interaction between human activity and the natural world, even as the semantic scope of the character expanded beyond agriculture into abstract and social domains.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我在花园了一棵树。

Wǒ zài huāyuán zāi le yī kē shù.

I planted a tree in the garden.

春天是花的好季节。

Chūntiān shì zāi huā de hǎo jìjié.

Spring is a good season for planting flowers.

农民伯伯在田里种蔬菜。

Nóngmín bóbo zài tián lǐ zāizhòng shūcài.

The farmer is planting vegetables in the field.

他不小心倒在地上。

Tā bù xiǎoxīn zāidǎo zài dìshang.

He accidentally fell on the ground.

他被坏人赃了。

Tā bèi huàirén zāizāng le.

He was framed by bad people.

如果你下希望的种子,就会收获幸福。

Rúguǒ nǐ zāi xià xīwàng de zhǒngzi, jiù huì shōuhuò xìngfú.

If you plant seeds of hope, you will harvest happiness.

公司重视培年轻员工。

Gōngsī zhòngshì zāipéi niánqīng yuángōng.

The company values cultivating young employees.

尽管他努力培这些植物,但有些还是没成活。

Jǐnguǎn tā nǔlì zāipéi zhèxiē zhíwù, dàn yǒuxiē háishì méi chénghuó.

Although he worked hard to cultivate these plants, some still didn't survive.