Chinese Character: 蕉
1. Character Basics
Radical: 艹/cǎo radical (grass radical)
Stroke Count: 15
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: jiāo (first tone)
3. Meaning
banana, plantain, palm tree
4. Common Words
- 香蕉 (xiāng jiāo) - banana
- 芭蕉 (bā jiāo) - plantain
- 蕉叶 (jiāo yè) - banana leaf
- 蕉农 (jiāo nóng) - banana farmer
- 蕉皮 (jiāo pí) - banana peel
- 蕉树 (jiāo shù) - banana tree
5. Grammar & Usage
"蕉" is primarily used as a noun to refer to banana plants and related species.
It is most commonly found in the compound word "香蕉" (banana), which is the standard term for this fruit in Chinese.
Other compounds include "芭蕉" (plantain) and terms describing parts of the banana plant, like "蕉叶" (banana leaf) and "蕉皮" (banana peel).
In some contexts, it can also be used in geographical names or in descriptions of tropical environments.
6. Cultural Background
Bananas have been an important food source in southern China and other tropical regions for centuries.
In traditional Chinese medicine, various parts of the banana plant were used for their perceived medicinal properties.
Banana leaves are used in some Chinese cuisines for wrapping food, especially in southern China and among ethnic minority groups.
Today, China is one of the world's largest producers of bananas, with major cultivation areas in Guangdong, Hainan, and Yunnan provinces.
7. Example Sentence
Chinese: 我每天早上都吃一根香蕉。
Pinyin: Wǒ měitiān zǎoshang dōu chī yī gēn xiāngjiāo.
Translation: I eat a banana every morning.
8. Memory Tips
The character "蕉" consists of three parts: the radical "艹" (grass) on top, "隹" (bird) in the middle, and "灬" (fire) at the bottom.
The "艹" radical indicates that this character is related to plants.
To remember this character, think of a tropical plant (banana) that grows in warm climates (suggested by the "灬" fire radical at the bottom), combining the grass radical with the middle components to form the character for banana.