The Chinese Radical: 艹


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Meaning
grass, plant    艹

Explanation Grass or a rapid growing plant in general. It shows two plants growing through the ground, and is a simple variation of 艸.

Used in these characters:
HSK 1
vegetable
cài
Top: plant 艹, below: to pluck 采 (A hand 爫 plucks from above at a tree 木.)
Plants you can pluck from above from a 'tree', are the vegetables.  
HSK 1
tea, tea plant
chá
From top: plant 艹, person 人 and a tree 木
The plant (the leafs), which are plucked by a person from a tree, is tea.  
HSK 1
apple, (artemisia), duckweed
píng
At top: plant 艹, below: flat, equal 平 (Here: see 平 as an image of an apple tree with big top and two apples)
This plant looks like an apple tree.  
HSK 2
medicine, drug, cure
yào
Top: plant 艹, bottom: promise, treaty 约 (The thread 糹/糸 at the ladle 勺 reminds to the promise.)
This plant gives the promise to be: medicine.  
HSK 2
to understand, to know
dǒng
Left: feelings 忄, right: supervise, director 董 (To make plants 艹 heavy 重, they must be supervised/monitored.) [heavy 重 = A vehicle 車/车 with double wheels 二 is for heavy loads.]
Only if you can supervise (control) your feelings, you will understand.  
HSK 2
together, common, general
gòng
Top: plant 艹, bottom: table
Put the plants on the table: together.  
HSK 3
grass, straw
cǎo
Top: plant/grass 艹, below: early, fast 早 (When the sunrise 旦 is at the mark 丶 at the horizon 一, it is early in the morning.)
The plant that grows fast, is grass.  
HSK 3
flower, blossom
huā
Top: plant 艹, bottom: change 化 (... from a standing 亻 to a sitting 匕 person)
A plant that changes (when blooming) is the: flower.  
HSK 3
full, filled, packed, completely
mǎn
Left: water 氵, right: grass/plants 艹, pair/both 两 (Two connected 一 persons 人 are inside 内, thus both.)
Water and plants, both can make (your stomach) full.  
HSK 3
blue, indigo plant
lán
Top: plant 艹, below: supervise 监 (For the cut bamboo [=knife刂 & half bamboo 竹] is a bowl 皿 for its supervision)
This plant is cut like bamboo and dyes/stains in a bowl into: blue.  
HSK 3
joint (of bamboo), node, section, festival
jié
Top: grass/plant 艹, bottom: 卩 (This is typically a 'bent person', but here image of a node of bamboo's stem)
This grass (=bamboo 竹) has a stem with nodes, like joints.  
HSK 3
banana
jiāo
Top: plant 艹, below: burnt 焦 (bird 隹, fire 灬 [here: image of hanging bananas])
The plant only birds can reach with the hanging fruits is: the banana.  
HSK 4
outstanding, to make known, to prove, to write(book)
zhù
Top: plant 艹, below: person 者 (old man 耂 in the sun 日)
Under the plant is a person, who is an outstanding writer.  
HSK 4
art, skills, talent, craft

Top: plant 艹, below: at second position 乙 (Two 二 written quickly without lifting the pen.)
Plants can at the second position also be seen as art.  
HSK 4
to fall, to drop (behind), decline
là, lào, luò, luō
Top: plant 艹, bottom: 洛 (water 氵and each 各 [= Sitting cross-legged 夂 on a cushion 口 does everybody])
Plants (their leaves) and water-(drops), they all fall down.  
HSK 4
to abandon, to relinquish, to discard, to throw away

Top: 'new born baby' (Character for child 子, but turned upside down: the baby at birth comes first), bottom: grass, plant 艹 (here exceptionally not as two hands 廾)
The new born baby in the grasses is abandoned.  
HSK 4
bitter, hardship, pain, to suffer

Top: plant 艹, below: old 古 (Pictogram of a tomb stone)
Plants (or herbs) that are old, taste bitter.  
HSK 4
to catch, to capture, to reap, to harvest, to obtain
huò
Top: plant 艹, bottom: wild animal 犭(dog on the hind legs), dog 犬
(When using sticks as a trap) With plants wild animals or dogs can be caught.  
HSK 4
grapes, Portugal

Top: plant 艹, below: 匍 (enwrap 勹, just now 甫) [= A hand for holding an item 丶 is what I need 用 just now]
The plants that wrap something for the "just now" (not storable) are the grapes.  
HSK 4
grapes
táo
Top: plant 艹, below: package 匋 (wrap 勹, can 缶 [lid and can opener 十 of that can 凵 ])
A plant where it is like "wrapped in a can" are the grapes.  
HSK 5
to respect, to venerate, to salute, to offer
jìng
Left: thoughtless 苟 (Using plants 艹 for wrapping 勹 a present 口 is thoughtless.) cf: sentence 句, right: strike 攵/攴 [hand 又 with a stick 卜]
When a plant speaks a sentence 句 and has a stick in the hand, it is respected.  
HSK 5
casting mold, pattern, model, example
fàn
Here: image of the casting mold with casting channels 艹, casting material 氵 and casting model 㔾
Through the casting channels the molten material flows in the model of the casting mold.  
HSK 5
to hide away, to conceal, to harbor, depository
cáng, zàng
Top: plant 艹, below: 臧 (fragment 爿, official 臣, halberd 戈)
The plant is the fragment that the official with the halberd is hiding away.  
HSK 5
to manage, nourishment, army, camp
yíng
From top: plant/grass 艹 (here: field camp), cover 冖 (= tent), two mouths 吕
You need plants/grass and tents for the many mouths, when: managing the nutrition of the army.  
HSK 5
meager, slight, weak, belittle, to look down on
bó, báo, bò
Top: plant 艹, below: extensive 溥 (The water 氵 announces 尃 that it is extensively widespread) [announce 尃 = right now 甫 with a skillful hand 寸, cf.搏])
When plants are in the water they stay right now and despite skillful hands: meager and weak.  
HSK 5
brave, United Kingdom, England
yīng
Top: plant 艹, below: center 央 (The yoke 冂 on the shoulders of the big 大 man is centered)
The plant in the center is brave, England too.  
HSK 5
thriving, prosperous, booming, glory
róng
Top: plant 艹 (here: a lot of green), bottom: cover 冖, tree 木
If there are 'lots of green' as the cover of a tree, it is: thriving.  
HSK 5
sprout, seedling, vaccine
miáo
Top: plant 艹, below: field 田
(The tiny sprouts look like grass:) The 'grass' on the field are actually the seedlings.  
HSK 5
hey!, why?, look out!, How dare you!
āi
Left: mouth 口, right: phonetic "āi" 艾 (like AIDS 艾滋病)
From the mouth an "āi" as interjection of surprise "hey!"  
HSK 5
to recommend, grass, straw mat
jiàn
Top: plant, grass 艹, bottom: exist 存 (With this talent 才 the child 子 can exist.)
Grass exists and [I recommend its use] as a straw mat.  
HSK 5
to struggle, toil, work, become exhausted
láo
From above: growing plant 艹, cover 冖 (here: top layer), strength 力
(Reclaiming the land:) To transform the growing plants into a flat top layer requires strength and that: you struggle.  
HSK 5
vegetables
shū
Top: gras, plant 艹, bottom: scatter, sparse 疏 (It is correct 正, that newborn babies [= child 子 upside down & amniotic fluid 川] scatter sparsely.)
The plants that are scattered are the (eatable) vegetables.  
HSK 5
wide, broad, spacious, lenient
kuān
Top: roof 宀, below: 苋 (plant 艹, see 见/見 (An eye 目 on legs 儿 = looking around)
From the roof, the plants, which I can see are (everywhere): widely and broadly.  
HSK 6
to wash, to squander, to sweep away, dissolute
dàng
Top: grass, plant 艹, bottom: soup 汤 (Water 氵is turned by warming sunrays 易 into: a soup.)
(There are organic laundry detergents.) When you take plants to make a 'soup' you can use it for washing.  
HSK 6
stem (of fruit or flower)

Top: plant 艹, bottom: emperor 帝 (He stands 立 and is covered 冖 with cloth 巾)
The plant has an 'imperial' part: the stem.  
HSK 6
uncertain, vast, without clear boundary, hazy
máng
Top: grass 艹, bottom: 汒 (water 氵, dead 亡 [coffin in cross section])
Either the grass (smoking) or the water will let us die, which is uncertain.  
HSK 6
to seem, like, as, if
ruò
Top: plant 艹, below: right 右 (= The hand that feeds the mouth 口)
The plant to the right seems "as if".  
HSK 6
to store up, to grow (eg. a beard)

Top: plant 艹, bottom: livestock, breeding 畜 (The mysterious 玄 field 田 is used to raise livestock [because it is not sufficiently fertile for grain crops]) [mysterious = 玄 = thread 玄 at which a mysterious magnet 磁 hangs]
Plants for raising livestock have to be grown & stored.  
HSK 6
negative, nobody, do not, there is none who

The sunset is shown: The plants 艹 are made by the sun 日 to be large 大 [= as long shadows] at sunset.) (Please note that sunrise is: and 旦)
The sunset is perceived negatively.  
HSK 6
to bury (the dead), to inter
zàng
From top: plant 艹, death 死 (If already under the earth 一 the bones 歹 of a sitting person 匕 are, this means to die.), plant 艹
Between plants the dead is buried.  
HSK 6
to cover, to shield, to conceal, to screen

Top: grass/plant 艹, bottom: shabby, (humble) I 敝 (The cloth 巾 is hit/smashed 攵 into four pieces and then as shabby as I am.)
On the lawn, four bits of cloth are (spread) with the stick in the hand: As a cover.  
HSK 6
uncultivated, desolate, shortage, scarce
huāng
Top: plant 艹, below: 巟 (dead 亡 (coffin in cross-section), river 川
The plants die and because of the river it becomes uncultivated.  
HSK 6
firewood, fuel, salary
xīn
Top: plant 艹, below: new 新 (From a standing 立 tree 木 your axe 斤 makes someting new.)
(All) plants and also standing trees are made with the axe to: firewood.  
HSK 6
club-awn (=gray hair grass), tip (of a blade)
máng
Top: plant/grass 艹, below: death 亡
The plant for (wrapping) the dead, was the club-awn.  
HSK 6
luxuriant, luxuriant nature, voluptuous
mào
Top: plant 艹, below: 戊 (halberd 戈 with additions)
Plants are cut/mowed with halberds for a luxuriant nature.  
HSK 6
to supervise, to direct, director
dǒng
Top: plant 艹, below: double, heavy 重 (vehicle 車/车 with double wheels 二)
(Breeding success is labor-intensive:) To make plants heavy, they must be supervised.  
HSK 6
to steam (cooking), sultry, to evaporate
zhēng
From top: plant 艹, water 水 between two boundaries 二 (= a steaming pot), fire 灬
For (cooking the) plants is this water between the boundaries, when from below the fire heats: the steam.  
HSK 6
to deceive, cheat, hoodwink, unconscious
mēng, méng, měng
From top: plant 艹, cover 冖, one 一, pig 豕
Under the plants and under the cover there shall be a/one pig? You deceiver!  
HSK 6
disheveled, unkempt, overgrown, vigorous, fleabane
péng
Top: grass/plant 艹, bottom: to encounter 逢 (The movements of a bee 蜂 [=insect of peak of growing plant] (from blossom to blossom) mean: to encounter.)
The plant which you often encounter (because it is overgrown /disheveled) is: the fleabane.  
HSK 6
to conceal from, to keep (sb) in the dark
mán
Left: eye 目, right: grass/plant 艹; pair, both 两 (Two connected 一 persons 人 are inside 内, thus both.)
(Out of the sight of the) eyes, both are below/inside the grass to conceal sth.  
HSK 6
belittle, ignore, nothing
miè
From top: grass/plant 艹, eye 罒 (With the pupil ロ in the center), garrison 戍 (= The persons 人 (= ノ & 一) at the halberds 戈)
(When crossing the border illegally, you need to crawl lying flat.) If your eyes are below the grass, the garrison will neglect you, but also might despise you.  
HSK 6
to revive, awake, (Chinese basil)

Top: plant/grass 艹, bottom: deal with/manage 办 (When the power 力 is supported 丶 from both sides, then it is dealt with.)
(very invigorating?) This plant can manage that you are revived.  
HSK 6
inner strength, contain/collect, accumulate, hold in store
yùn
Top: grass 艹, bottom: 缊 (thread 纟/糸, sun 日, bowl 皿)
The grass has fibers/threads which, when viewed in light, are the bowl for inner strength.  
HSK 6
stem, stalk
jīng
Top: plant 艹, below: vertical 圣 (A hand 又 is vertically above the ground 土.)
The plant has a vertical part, namely the: stem.  
HSK 6
sprout, bud

Top: plant 艹, bottom: tusk 牙 (elephant's 象 head with a tusk ノ)
Both plants and tusks grow from a sprout.  
HSK 6
wither, spiritless
wēi, wěi
Top: plant 艹, bottom: to entrust 委 (Rice plants 禾 can women 女 be entrusted.)
The plants I entrusted you, are (all) withered.  
HSK 6
turnip, creeper, to spread, tendriled vine
mán, màn, wàn
Left: plant 艹, right: handsome 曼 (.. when the sun 日 shines on the eyes 罒 with long eyelashes 又)
A plant that is handsome is: the spreading turnip.  
HSK 6
sprout, to bud, germinate, seed
méng
Top: plant 艹, bottom: bright, clear 明
For a plant it is like "sun and moon", when the seed sprouts.  
HSK 6
thoughtless, negligent, careless, if indeed
gǒu
Top: plant 艹; bottom: sentence 句 (wrapped 勹 mouth 口 [here: a present])
Using plants for wrapping a present 口 is: thoughtless and negligent.  
HSK 6
dark blue, deep green, ash-gray, aged, housefly
cāng
Top: grass 艹, below: warehouse 仓 (Under the pointed roof 人 is a roll of cloth 㔾 in the warehouse)
Grass grows on the warehouse: It is dark blue and aged.  
HSK 6
mold, mildew, germ, bacteria, fungus
jūn, jùn
Top: plant 艹, bottom: 囷 (enclosure 囗, rice plant 禾)
Plants enclosed like this rice plant will be affected by mold.  
HSK 6
resplendent, luxuriant, Artemisia japonica
wèi, yù
Top: plant/grass 艹, bottom: military officer 尉 (This buttocks 尸 shows 示 his skillful hand 寸 as an officer.)
Plants that have the 'rank of an officer' are resplendent.  
HSK 6
deep & clear water, confident and at ease
xiāo
Left: water 氵, right: mugwort 萧 (grass, plant 艹, respectful 肃 (hand writing four lines), here: Hand with stick 丨, stirring sth.)
(The broth is thin:) The water with a few grasses, which the hand stirs, appears deep and clear.  
HSK 6
bud
lěi
Top: plant 艹, bottom: thunder 雷 (Rain 雨 falls on the fields 田 amidst thunder.)
At the plants appear (as sudden as) a thunder: the buds.  
HSK 6
to chatter, gossip, nag
láo
Left: mouth 口, right: to struggle 劳 (To transform the growing plants 艹 into a flat top layer 冖 requires strength 力 and that you struggle)
For the mouth it is a struggle to chatter.  
HSK 6
friendly, amiable, kindly, nice
ǎi
Top: plant 艹, bottom: to visit (a superior) 谒 (Words 讠of an interrogation 曷 during a questioning) [interrogation 曷 = The mouth with tongue 日 enwraps 勹 the person 人 in the corner at the interrogation.]
(There are flowers in the interrogation room:) If there is a plant during the words of an interrogation, it is: friendly.  
HSK 6
to despise, small, variant of 渺
miǎo
Top: plant 艹, bottom: 貌 (hairy animal 豸 or var. of pig 豕 weiß 白, Beine 儿)
In the plant is a hairy animal, white with legs: I despise it.  
no HSK
luxuriant (plant growth), Philippines 菲律宾
fēi
Top: grass 艹, bottom: not/denial 非 (opposing wings 羽)
Grass is often denied (= rejected) because it grows too luxuriant.  
no HSK
luster of gems
yíng
From top: grass 艹, cover 冖, jade 玉
In the grass is covered a 'jade' with: the luster of gems.  
no HSK
shade
yìn
Top: grass 艹, bottom: moon, rearside, Yin 阴 (The hill 阝is on its "moon-side" 月 shady, thus the: Yin)
Only grass can grow at the "moon"-side of the hill: in the shade.  
no HSK
kudzu (edible bean), twiner-plant, entanglement
gé, gě
Top: Plant/grass 艹, below: interrogation 曷 (=The mouth with tongue 日 enwraps 勹 the person 人 in the corner at the interrogation.)
The plant with the tendrils, like the tangles in an interrogation is the: kudzu-bean.  
no HSK
duckweed
píng
Top: plant 艹, bottom: 泙 (water 氵, flat, equal 平)
The plant that is on the water drifting flatly is the: duckweed.  
no HSK
thick weeds, luxuriant growth, impertinent
mǎng
From top: plant 艹, dog 犬 (The big 大 man holds in his arms: a dog 丶), plant 艹
If a dog can hide in these grasses, it is thick weeds.  
no HSK
lotus
lián
Top: growing plant 艹, below: link, combine 连 (Vehicles 车/車 and 'movement' 辶 are linked.)
The plant (which floats on the water), but is connected (to the ground) is the: lotus.  
no HSK
to thatch (a roof), Caltrop or puncture vine

Top: plant 艹, below: next/following 次 (ice 冫is lacking 欠 [yawning person], what comes next?)
When a plant is the "next" to each other [= they lie close adjacent], this is a thatched roof.  
no HSK
radish, turnip, creeping plant
luó
Top: plant 艹, bottom: to sift 罗 (with the net 罒 to sift until evening 夕)
The plants that need to be sift are the radish/turnip.  
no HSK
mattress, a cushion, Skimmia japonica
yīn
Top: plant 艹, bottom: reason, cause 因 (For the fence 囗 around the tall person 大 is a reason.)
Plants have the reason (= purpose) to be used as: a mattress.  
no HSK
tangle of vines, rattan, cane
téng
Top: plant 艹, below: 滕 (body 月, border guard 龹 (person 人 with high lifted arms 丷 and two barrier bars 二), water 水
Plants that pull themselves up on bodies, like raised arms of a security guard and need water are: the climbing vines.  
no HSK
lotus
róng
Left: plant 艹, right: appearance 容 (The houses 宀 in the valley 谷 have an appearance.)
(With the big pink blossom:) The plant for your good appearance is: The lotus.  
no HSK
fragrant
fāng
Top: plant 艹, below: direction, square 方
(Fragrance spread by the wind) When plants act in one direction, they are fragrant.  
no HSK
Bodhisattva, enlightenment, Buddhist god

Top: grass, plant 艹, bottom: hill 阝, and produce 产 (standing 立 on the cliff 厂)
Over the plants and the hills, I am standing on a cliff: with the Buddhistic enlightenment.  
no HSK
Bodhisattva

Top: grass, plant 艹, bottom: spit 咅 (stand 立 with open mouth 口 and spit)
Under plants, he stands up and opens his mouth: Bodhisattva.  
no HSK
water-chestnut (caltrop)
líng
Top: grass, plant 艹, bottom slowly, dawdle 夌 (Who walks over the earth 土 with legs 儿 that are crossed 夂, is dawdling.)
The plant that dawdles (when growing?) is the water-chestnut.  
no HSK
to carry on shoulder or back, burden, lotus
hé, hè
Top: plant 艹, bottom: "what" 何? (Two persons 亻, 丁 carrying a load 口 with that bar 一
For the transport of the plants the two persons use their shoulders to carry that load.  
no HSK
wormwood like grass (classical)
xuē
Top: grass 艹, bottom: anal penetration, torture 辟 (buttock from the side 尸, anus 口, needle 辛 as symbol for penetration or torture)
Made of plants and aggressive like torture: The wormwood (absinthe)  
no HSK
park, pasture, garden
yuàn
Left: plant 艹, right: 夗 (evening 夕, slumped person 㔾)
With the plants he stayed until the evening when he slumped, in the: park.  
no HSK
surname Cai
cài
Top: plant /grass 艹, bottom: sacrifice 祭 (The body 月/肉 is put by hand on the altar 示 as a sacrifice)
Plants are sacrificed by the family: Cai.  
no HSK
oriole or warblers
yīng
Top: grass 艹, below: cover 冖 and bird 鸟/鳥
In the grass are covered these birds: the oriole or warbler.  
no HSK
leek, scallion, green onion
cōng
From top: grass, plant 艹, 怱 (= hurry 匆 and heart 心) [hurry 匆 = When packing the suitcase, the wrapped 勹 long things ノノ (= pants) got wrinkles because I was in a hurry)]
The plant that is in a hurry (= grows quickly) and is closest to my heart is the leek.  
no HSK
crime, sin, disaster, evil
niè
Top: 薛 (grass 艹, anal penetration, torture 辟 (buttock from the side 尸, anus 口, needle 辛 as symbol for penetration or torture), bottom: child 子
In the grass, anal penetration with a child is a: crime.  
no HSK
reed, rush, hurry

Left: growing plant 艹, right: sliding door 戸
The plant (for building) a sliding door is the reed, where you can then rush through.  
no HSK
jasmine

Top: plant 艹, bottom: profit, favorable 利 (Harvesting rice plants 禾 with a knife刂 is favorable and brings profit.)
The plant that brings profit is: jasmine.  
no HSK
(crystal), lustrous
yīng
Left: king/jade 王, right: brave, England 英 (The plant 艹 in the center 央 is brave.)
The jade that is 'brave' is lustrously.  
no HSK
chrysanthemum

From top: plant 艹, 匊 (wrap 勹, rice 米)
The plant that is first wrapped and then blossoms like the hanzi for rice 米 is: the chrysanthemum.  
no HSK
Jiang (family name), refers to Chiang Kai-shek
jiǎng
Top: grass 艹, bottom: commander 将 (A simple bed 丬, a hand reaching down 爫 and a skillful hand 寸: This is a commander.)
Where formerly only grass grew, he became the commander: Chiang Kai-shek  
no HSK
fragrance, perfume
fēn
Top: grass 艹, bottom: to divide 分 (... with the sword 刀 in 8 八 pieces)
(The smell of freshly mown grass:) When grass is divided, it causes fragrance.  
no HSK
severe, pitiless, harsh, exacting

Top: grass/plant 艹, bottom: possibility 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible.)
If in the grass, someone (shall find) a nail only with his mouth, you are severe and pitiless to him.  
no HSK
Indian madder, Rubia cordifolia, munjeet
qiàn
西
Top: plant 艹, bottom: west 西 (sun 日 moves 儿 below horizon 一 at sunset in the west)
The plant with the red (= the afterglow at sunset at the west) is the Indian madder .  
no HSK
common rue (Ruta graveolens), books and libraries
yún
Top: plant 艹, bottom: cloud 云 (It can drip from both 二, namely from noses 厶 or: clouds)
A plant that spreads like a cloud (through the twisting shoots) is the rue/bean.  
no HSK
moss, lichen, coating
tāi, tái
Top: plant 艹, bottom: platform, rack 台 (nose 厶 over the mouth 口)
The plant on platforms is the: moss.  
no HSK
wick, core, lamp pith
xīn
Plant 艹, heart 心
The plant's "heart" (= inner fibers) is its core and suitable as a wick.  
no HSK
banana

Top: plant 艹, bottom: to hope 巴 (Behind the doorknob 巴 you may hope.)
The plant you are hoping for is: The banana.  
no HSK
eggplant
qié
Top: plant 艹, bottom: to add 加 (For getting power 力 your mouth 口 needs sth. to be 'added' [= to eat])
(There is still space in the garden) The plant, we should add is: the eggplant.  
no HSK
thistles and thorns
jīng
Above: plant 艹, bottom: punishment 刑 (Who openly 开 uses his knife 刂 is punished.)
The plant, that can punish, are the thorns of the thistle.  
no HSK
Osmunda regalis, a species of fern
wēi
Top: grass 艹, bottom: tiny 微 (Go 彳 on the mountain 山 to the one 一 table 几 and smash 攵 it into tiny pieces.)
The plant that is tiny is this fern.  
no HSK
kind of sedge grass
shā, suō
Left: growing plant 艹, right: sand, gravel 沙 (In [unclear] water 氵is always a little 少 sand.)
A plant for sandy (grounds) is this: sedge grass.  
no HSK
reed, rush, Phragmites communis
wěi
Top: plant 艹, right: leather 韦 (Two layers 二 are separated with special sword 刀 to make leather)
The plant that is cut in a bundle (in a pair of two 二) with the knife 刀 is the: reed.  
no HSK
overgrown with weeds, wilderness

Top: plant 艹, bottom: denial 无 (Legs 儿 crossed out twice 二 as denial)
With plants and a denial: the wilderness.  
no HSK
bottle-gourd, calabash, allium scorodoprasum

Top: plant 艹, below: beard, non-Han-person 胡 (Like old 古 flesh 月/肉 are the beards of the non-Han people.)
(The skin can be used as a drinking-vessel.) The plant where the 'old body' is used: The bottle-gourd.  
no HSK
miserable, desolate, dreary, Chinese mugwort
xiāo
Top: plant 艹, bottom: respectful 肃 (here: hand with spoon 丨 stirring a "soup")
The plant for making a "soup", is the medicine mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), used when you feel miserable.  
no HSK
to stop or cut short, phonetic "ai", like AIDS 艾滋病
ài
Top: plant 艹, bottom: cross 乂
When the plants are (cut) cross-like on each other, it means "end" as in AIDS.  
no HSK
stamen, pistil
ruǐ
3
Top: plant 艹, bottom: 惢
The plant has its 3 hearts in the stamen.  
no HSK
mushroom

Top: plant 艹, bottom: paternal aunt 姑 (the woman 女 who is old 古)
The plants (collected) by the old women, are the: mushrooms.  
no HSK
luxuriant, lush, leek flower
jīng
Top: plant 艹, bottom: green, blue, young 青 (Growing plants appear in the moonshine 月 blue and young.)
A plant hat is green and young, is: luxuirant.  
no HSK
hesitate, indecisive
chú
Left: foot 足 (knee cap 口 and footprint 止), right: outstanding 著 (Under the plant 艹 is a person 者, who is an outstanding writer.)
When the foot (shall go) over the plants, the person is hesitating.  
no HSK
fluffy, hairy, confused, luxuriant growth
róng
Top: plant 艹, bottom: ear 耳
The 'plants' at the ear are fluffy hair.  
no HSK
name of weed plant (fat hen, goosefoot)
lái
Top: growing plant 艹, bottom: to come 来 (Because of ten 十 grains of rice 米, I shall come?)
(This weed) is a plant that always comes again, it is the: 'fat hen'  
no HSK
potato, yam
shǔ
Top: plant 艹, bottom: government office 署 (The eyes 罒 above the persons 者 are a government office.)
(Potatoes are harvested with a rake [here: 罒 net], which is used to furrow the ground.) The plant that is (harvested) with the rake of a person is the: potato.  
no HSK
a glimmer, twinkling, fluorescence, dazzled
yíng
From above: plant 艹, cover 冖, fire 火
If plants are a cover for the fire, it appears glimmering.  
no HSK
firefly, glow-worm
yíng
From top: plant, grass 艹, cover 冖, insect 虫
The grass covers this insect: the firefly.  
no HSK
garlic
suàn
Top: plant 艹, bottom: 2x to show 示
(Think of its smell when both: eating and farting) The plant that shows twice is the garlic.  
no HSK
by means of, to insult, sleeping mat
jí, jiè
Top: grass, plant 艹, bottom: rely on, plow 耤 (tree 木 with many branches 丰), right: old days 昔
It is growing the plant as a tree with many branches if in old days (=before), the plow furrows 一 were done. This is by means of them.  
no HSK
gather, assemble, collect, dense, grassy
cuì
Top: grass, plant 艹, below: soldier, suddenly 卒 (Between rotary discs 亠,十 are soldiers 人 who die suddenly.)
(with good camouflage) From the plants, the soldiers can suddenly come together.  
no HSK
mushroom

Top: plant 艹, bottom: to polish, sharpen 磨 (With hemp 麻 stones 石 can be polished.)
This plant grows at the hemp and looks like a stone: the mushroom.  
no HSK
to eat, (extended meaning) to endure

Left: plant 艹, right: as such 如 (Women's 女 mouths 口 are as such.)
The plant is taken by the woman with the mouth, when: Eating.  
no HSK
a fence (for defense), a pale, border, vassal state
fān
Top: plant 艹, below: water for rinsing 潘 (water 氵, foreign 番 (The modified rice 釆 [= rice 米 with emphasis ノ] on the field 田 is foreign.)
Plants or water can be against the foreign, a fence or border.  
no HSK
sesame (seed)
zhī
Top: plant 艹, bottom: 之 variant of plant (suggestion: as a zigzag path)
A plant that is also grows along paths is: sesame.  
no HSK
lotus (=芙蓉), Hibiskus

Top: grass, plant 艹, bottom: husband 夫 (The big 大 person with the extra-caring arms 一 is the husband.)
The plant, the husband brings, is: lotus.  
no HSK
sunflower
kuí
Top: plant 艹, bottom: tenth of 10 heavenly trunks 癸 (volcano 癶, sky, heaven 天)
The plant with a flower like a volcano that grows towards the sky is: the sunflower.  
no HSK
cocoon, callus
jiǎn
Top: plant, grass 艹, bottom: insect 虫
At the plant (hangs) an insect in form of: a cocoon.  
no HSK
reeds, rushes [BOT.]
máo
Top: grass 艹, bottom: barbed spear/lance 矛
Grass as long as a barbed spear is: reeds.  
no HSK
luxuriant, flourishing, to reproduce, to proliferate
fán
Top: growing plant 艹, below: foreign 番 (The modified rice 釆 [= rice 米 with emphasis ノ] on the field 田 is foreign.)
Plants that are foreign (invasive species) are particularly flourishing.  
no HSK
benzol (chemistry), benzene
běn
Top: plant 艹, bottom: origin 本 (The tree 木 comes out of the roots 一 as origin and becomes a book.)
Plants are the origin of: benzol.  
no HSK
(surname Xun)
xún
Top: plant 艹, bottom: 10-days period 旬 (When the sun 日 is enwrapped 勹 (by clouds), then often for a duration of 10 days)
Phonetic 旬 = xún in the family name 荀.  
no HSK
python
mǎng
Left: insect 虫, right: thick weeds 莽 (If a dog 犬 can hide in the grasses 艹,艹, it is thick weeds.)
The 'insect' in the thick weed, that (eats) the dog is: the python.  
no HSK
bullrush, divers reed grasses

Top: growing plant 艹, below: 浦 (water 氵, just now 甫 [(A hand for holding an item 丶 is what I need 用 just now)])
The plant from the water, I just need is this: reed grass.  
no HSK
Chinese celery
qín
Top: plant 艹, bottom: axe 斤
The plant that is (harvested) with an axe is: the celery.  
no HSK
(fragrant plant)
quán
Top: grass, plant 艹, bottom: all, every 全 (The person 人 of the king 王 means all)
The plant everybody senses is: fragrant.  
no HSK
stubble land after crop has been taken, an opportunity
chá
Top: plant 艹, bottom: to exist, (located) at 在 (The talents 才 on earth 土 exist in doing ...) [talent 才 = when the big man 大 balances on one foot.]
(New) plants can exist here: on the stubble land.  
no HSK
flower calyx, petal, bud, luxuriant, profuse
bāo
Top: plant 艹, below: enwrap 包 (The wrap 勹 itself 己 makes it to be wrapped.)
At the plants the 'enwrapping' are the flower calyx.  
no HSK
litchi

Top: plant 艹, bottom: 劦 (3x force 力)
The plant with the triple power is the: litchi.  
no HSK
seaweed, aquatic grasses, elegant
zǎo
Top: plant 艹, bottom: bath 澡 (in the water 氵you assemble 喿 for a bath.) [assemble 喿 = three beaks 口 of birds assembled in a tree 木]
Plants that are assembled in the water is: seaweed.  
no HSK
wind around
yíng
From top: plant 艹, cover 冖, thread 糸
A plant that covers (the ground) is like a thread that is: winding around.  
no HSK
root of lotus
ǒu
Top: plant 艹, bottom: 耦 (tree with many branches 耒), scorpion 禺 (carapace 田, insect 虫 and long legs 冂)
The plant with the many branches at the scorpions is: the roots of lotus.  
no HSK
(flower) bud
bèi
Top: plant, grass 艹, bottom: (two, three ..)-fold 倍 (The persons 人 spit 咅 many-fold.)
The plant multiplies with the bud.  
no HSK
thistle, common sowthistle, bitter (taste), cruel

Top: plant 艹, bottom: excess, remain 余 (A heap is still on the altar 示, thus in excess.)
(The cattle do not eat it:) The plant that remains is: the thistle.  
no HSK
wild rose
qiáng
Top: plant 艹, below: stingy 啬 (here: squeeze in 夹 [A husband 夫 between persons 丷 (=2x人; cf:薔) is squeezed] and rotate 回)
(due to its thorns) The plant that squeezes-in if you rotate in it: is the wild rose.  
no HSK
to dip in (ink, sauce etc)
zhàn
Top: plant 艹, bottom: 醮 (alcohol 酉, scorched, burnt, charred 焦) [焦 = The bird 隹 is on fire 灬 to be burnt.]
A plant with alcohol will burn, even if you (only have briefly): dipped it into it.  
no HSK
sugar cane
zhè
Top: plant 艹, bottom: commonly, ordinary 庶 (A building 广 with various objects 廿 is in fire 灬 which commonly can happen.)
(for sweetening) The plant from which ordinary things are made: is the sugar cane.  
no HSK
dense foliage, to preserve, to cover, conceal
bǎo
Top: plant 艹, bottom: protect 保 (The person 亻builds a fence 口 over tree 木 to protect it.)
The plants are protected by a dense foliage.  

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