植物 meaning in English

植物 is the general word for plants and vegetation, used in everyday talk and in science. It is a noun and often appears with the measure word 种 (zhǒng) for kinds or 棵 (kē) for individual plants. Example: 我家有很多植物。(Wǒ jiā yǒu hěn duō zhíwù.) There are many plants in my home.

植 (zhí) means to plant and has the wood radical 木 on the left, so think of something you put in the ground to grow. Add 物 (wù), thing, and a 植物 is a planted thing, a plant.

Common mistake: Learners often confuse 植 (zhí) with 直 (zhí, straight) or 值 (zhí, worth), since all three share the same sound and the 直 part. Remember that only 植 has the wood radical 木, which fits the meaning of plants.