liǎo

蓼蓝

Word · Noun · AdjectiveTraditional蓼

knotweed; lush growth of plants

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

2 senses · 4 examples
1.

noun

knotweed; a genus of annual herbaceous plants (Polygonum)

technical

A botanical term. '蓼蓝' refers specifically to Polygonum tinctorium, the indigo plant.

Zhè这
zhǒng种
liǎo蓼
de的
yè叶
zi子
kě可
yǐ以
tí提
qǔ取
lán蓝
sè色
rǎn染
liào料
 。

The leaves of this knotweed can be used to extract blue dye.

Liǎo蓼
lán蓝
shì是
yī一
zhǒng种
zhòng重
yào要
de的
gǔ古
dài代
rǎn染
liào料
zhí植
wù物
 。

Indigo (Polygonum tinctorium) was an important dye plant in ancient times.

Show 1 more example
Shuǐ水
liǎo蓼
cháng常
shēng生
zhǎng长
zài在
hé河
àn岸
biān边
 。

Water pepper (Persicaria hydropiper) often grows on riverbanks.

2.

adjective

lush; luxuriant (describing plants)

literary

Used in classical Chinese or literary contexts. The phrase '蓼蓼' describes luxuriant growth.

Bǐ彼
shǔ黍
lí离
lí离
 ，
bǐ彼
jì稷
zhī之
miáo苗
 。
Xíng行
mài迈
mǐ靡
mǐ靡
 ，
zhōng中
xīn心
yáo摇
yáo摇
 。
Zhī知
wǒ我
zhě者
 ，
wèi谓
wǒ我
xīn心
yōu忧
 ；
bù不
zhī知
wǒ我
zhě者
 ，
wèi谓
wǒ我
hé何
qiú求
 。
Yōu悠
yōu悠
cāng苍
tiān天
 ，
cǐ此
hé何
rén人
zāi哉
 ！

(From the Book of Songs) The millet grows lush, the millet sprouts. My steps are slow, my heart is troubled...