Definitions
(noun)
cereal; grain
Etymology
Pictograph of a stalk of millet grain.
About
The character "禾" originated as a pictograph representing a grain plant with a stalk and a drooping head of seeds, initially referring specifically to millet in early agricultural contexts. Its structural form, which has remained consistent, visually encapsulates a cultivated cereal plant with leaves and a heavy ear, leading to its role as a semantic component in numerous characters related to crops and vegetation. Over centuries, the meaning of "禾" expanded from denoting a single type of grain to encompassing standing grain crops more broadly, a shift that mirrored changes in agricultural focus and linguistic usage without altering its fundamental pictorial identity.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
田里的禾苗绿油油。
农民在照顾禾苗。
春天的禾苗长得快。
他们把谷物放在禾场上。
禾苗需要水和阳光才能生长。
水稻是禾本科植物。
在广阔的禾田里，禾苗随风摇摆。
由于精心照料，禾苗比去年长得更好。