楚 chǔ clear
怎么记住“楚”: 林 a wood + 疋 bolt of cloth = clear. Lost in a wood, the hiker tears strips from a bolt of cloth and ties them to the trees so the way back stays clear.
部件结构
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
楚 = 林 a wood + 疋 bolt of cloth
- 林 a wood meaning
- 木 tree
- 木 tree
- 疋 bolt of cloth sound
Lost in a wood, the hiker tears strips from a bolt of cloth and ties them to the trees so the way back stays clear.
How it came to be
The oldest form shows two trees above an enclosure and a foot.
用法
- Almost only lives in 清楚 (qīngchu) = clear / distinct / to be clear about: 说清楚 (shuō qīngchu) explain clearly, 我不清楚 (wǒ bù qīngchu) I'm not sure.
- Note 楚 is toneless (qīngchu) in this word.
- Historically it's also the ancient state of Chu and a surname, but those are separate from the everyday 清楚.
含“楚”的词语
例句
- 他的发言很清楚。 Tā de fāyán hěn qīngchu.His presentation is very clear.