Meaning
花 is one of the most versatile characters in Chinese. As a noun, it means 'flower' or 'blossom.' As a verb, it means 'to spend' (money or time). As an adjective, it can describe something multi-colored, patterned, or blurred (like blurry vision).
Usage
Native speakers use 花 constantly in daily life. When talking about spending money, 花 is the go-to verb (花钱 huā qián). The flower meaning appears in many compound words and idioms. As an adjective meaning 'blurred,' it's common in phrases like 眼花 (yǎn huā, blurry vision). The multi-colored sense appears in words like 花猫 (huā māo, calico cat).
Examples
- 01这束花真漂亮。.This bouquet of flowers is really beautiful.
- 02我昨天花了三百块钱买衣服。.I spent 300 yuan buying clothes yesterday.
Measure words
- 朵一朵花
- 束一束花
- 盆一盆花
Common collocations
- 花钱to spend money
- 花时间to spend time
- 眼花to have blurred vision
- 送花to give flowers
Antonyms
Origin
The character 花 is a pictophonetic compound. The grass radical 艹 (on top) indicates plant-related meaning, while 化 provides the pronunciation. Originally referred to blossoms and flowers, later extended to decorative patterns and the idea of 'spending' (as flowers wither and disappear).