树
tree
HSK level
- Pinyin
- shù
- Part of speech
- noun
- Level
- HSK 3
- Strokes
- 9
- Register
- neutral
- Measure word
- 棵
- In episodes
- 1
Stroke order for 树
树 is written with 9 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
What does 树 mean?
树 (shù) is the common noun for 'tree.'
Two practical things to know: first, the measure word for a tree is 棵 (kē) — 一棵树 means 'one tree.' Using 个 here marks you as a beginner. Second, in compound nouns 树 attaches to the type of tree: 苹果树 (apple tree), 大树 (big tree), 树叶 (tree leaf / leaves), 树林 (woods).
树 can also be a verb in formal/written Chinese meaning 'to establish / set up' (as in 树立, shùlì, 'to establish [a model, a goal]'), but at HSK 3 you'll meet it almost exclusively as the noun. The simplified form 树 replaces the traditional 樹.
Memory hook: Left side 木 ('wood') tells you it's a plant; right side 对 (duì) lends the sound. Wood + sound = 树.
Hear 树 in real episodes
树 appears in 1 Fluentide podcast episode at natural native speed. Each sentence plays at the easiest difficulty it exists in — switch it to hear the same moment at your level, with full pinyin and English throughout.
二十年以前，佛罗里达的橙子树，有了一种病。
Twenty years ago, Florida's orange trees caught a disease.
Citrus Greening Wiped Out 95% of Florida's Oranges. Can Gene Editing Bring Them Back?
Example sentences
我家门口有一棵大树。
Wǒ jiā ménkǒu yǒu yì kē dàshù.
There's a big tree at the front of my house.
neutral
这棵树有一百年了。
Zhè kē shù yǒu yìbǎi nián le.
This tree is a hundred years old.
neutral
孩子们喜欢在树下玩。
Háizimen xǐhuan zài shù xià wán.
The kids love playing under the tree.
neutral
春天来了，树叶都绿了。
Chūntiān lái le, shùyè dōu lǜ le.
Spring has come — the leaves have all turned green.
written
我们一起去种树吧！
Wǒmen yìqǐ qù zhòng shù ba!
Let's go plant trees together!
spoken
Common phrases with 树
Synonyms
树木 is the collective noun 'trees / forestry,' used for groups of trees in writing or formal speech. For a single tree or everyday conversation, use 树.
Don't confuse 树 with
Frequently asked questions
Related words from the same episodes
Acquire it by listening
Meet 树 again — in real Chinese, at your level.
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