檬

méng
木 + 蒙

Definitions

méng used in 檸檬|柠檬[níng méng]

Etymology phono-semantic

tree

Semantic: 木 Phonetic: 蒙

About

檬 is a standard phono-semantic compound: the semantic component 木 ('tree') on the left places it in the domain of trees and woody plants, while the phonetic component 蒙 on the right indicates its pronunciation. Historically, 檬 has almost no independent use in classical texts; it was created mainly to transcribe the names of certain trees, most famously in 柠檬, a phonetic rendering of the foreign word 'lemon'. As a result, the character's meaning is entirely restricted to botanical loanwords, functioning as a dedicated component for transliterated plant names rather than encoding any native philosophical or agricultural concept.

Example Sentences Hide

这个柠檬很酸。

Zhège níngméng hěn suān.

This lemon is very sour.

我喜欢喝柠檬汁。

Wǒ xǐhuān hē níngméng zhī.

I like to drink lemon juice.

柠檬茶是我的最爱。

Níngméng chá shì wǒ de zuì ài.

Lemon tea is my favorite.

新鲜的柠檬味道清香。

Xīnxiān de níngméng wèidào qīngxiāng.

Fresh lemons have a refreshing fragrance.

妈妈用柠檬做了蛋糕。

Māma yòng níngméng zuòle dàngāo.

Mom made a cake with lemons.

柠檬比橘子更酸一些。

Níngméng bǐ júzi gèng suān yīxiē.

Lemons are sourer than oranges.

夏天时，我常喝柠檬水。

Xiàtiān shí, wǒ cháng hē níngméng shuǐ.

In summer, I often drink lemon water.

柠檬富含维生素C，对健康有益。

Níngméng fùhán wéishēngsù C, duì jiànkāng yǒuyì.

Lemons are rich in vitamin C, which is beneficial for health.

Related Characters

Component: 木

样 机 相 果 权 格 术 根 极 林 集 查 李 标

Component: 蒙

朦 蠓 矇 艨 礞 幪 懞 曚 濛 獴 鸏 鹲

Example Words

柠檬 柠檬水 柠檬汁 柠檬片 柠檬茶 柠檬草 柠檬酸