棘
jujube; thorny plants; thorn
Meanings
3 senses · 8 examplesnoun
wild jujube tree
formalA small thorny deciduous tree bearing sour edible fruits, native to East Asia.
The valley is full of wild jujube trees, making it hard to pass through.
The fruits of the wild jujube tree are edible, with a sweet and sour taste.
noun
thorny plants; brambles
neutralUsed in general contexts to refer to any thorny grass or shrubs, often used in fixed phrases.
We hacked through brambles and thorns all the way and finally reached the mountain top.
This wasteland is overgrown with thorny plants and is almost inaccessible.
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The expedition team used machetes to cut down the thorny plants along the road.
verb
to prick; to stab; to irritate
neutralDescribes the action of being scratched or pierced by a sharp object like a thorn.
The wild rose by the road pricked my hand, it hurts so much.
I accidentally touched a thorny branch and my hand was pricked by the thorns.
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The thorns on this cactus are very sharp, do not touch them casually.