noun HSK 2
Traditional 葉
leaf · page · surname Ye
Meaning
This character refers to the leaf of a plant or tree, one of the most fundamental words in Chinese vocabulary. It's also used metaphorically in expressions about pages or petals, and serves as a common Chinese surname.
Usage
In everyday speech, 叶 is most commonly used to refer to plant leaves. It frequently appears in compound words related to botany and nature. When counting leaves, native speakers typically use the measure word 片 (piàn). The character is also a fairly common surname in China.
Examples
- 01秋天到了，树叶都变黄了。, .Autumn has arrived, and the tree leaves have all turned yellow.
- 02这种茶叶是从杭州来的。.This type of tea leaves comes from Hangzhou.
Measure words
- 片一片叶子
- 张几张叶子
Common collocations
- 落叶fallen leaves
- 绿叶green leaves
- 一叶知秋one leaf foretells autumn (idiom)
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 葉 shows the grass/plant radical 艹 on top, with 枼 (meaning thin and flat) below, pictorially representing the flat, thin nature of leaves.