Chinese Dictionary

Usage of the character 草

variant of 肏 (cào)

grass
straw
manuscript
draft (of a document)
careless
rough
CL:棵 (kē),撮 (zuǒ),株 (zhū),根 (gēn)

variant of 草 (cǎo)

to weed

bandits

the most handsome boy in the school (see also 校花 (xiàohuā))

black cardamom
(dialect) strawberry

(botany) Persicaria orientalis

grass carp

army provisions
rations and fodder

first draft
to draw up (a first version)

water plants
habitat with water source and grass

strawberry
CL:顆／颗 (kē)
(Tw) hickey
love bite

meadow

Grassy Hill (hill in Hong Kong)

(bird species of China) purple heron (Ardea purpurea)

to be in the early stages of establishing

mow grass

valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

grassy

herbivorous

straw
grain stalks

(of Taiwan aborigines) to go on a headhunting expedition

slipshod; careless; slovenly
(of handwriting) scrawly; illegible

weeds
brush (vegetation)
wild grassland

all kinds of grass
all kinds of flora

to mow grass
haymaking
to write a rough draft (of an essay etc)

(botany) Japanese hop (Humulus japonicus)

careless
negligent
sloppy
not serious

grass

herbal medicine

withered grass; dry grass

medicinal herb

draft (legislation, proposal etc)

green grass

grass roots (lit. and fig.)

Hemerocallis fulva
daylily

a rake

Miscanthus (genus of grass)

forage grass

grass

licorice root

oxalic acid C2H2O4

straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea)
paddy straw mushroom

firewood

free-range chicken
(dialect) hen
cowardly

rough straw paper
toilet paper
brown paper

Caotun Township in Nantou County 南投縣／南投县 ( Nántou Xiàn), central Taiwan

draft
outline
sketch

hay
dried grass

pasture
forage grass
pasturage

a sketch
rough drawing

a book on Chinese (herbal) medicine
Chinese materia medica

seagrass

(Internet slang) to recommend a product to sb

to graze; to eat grass

turf
sward
sod

the grass roots
the hoi polloi

rice-paper plant (Tetrapanax papyriferus)

grass script; cursive script (Chinese calligraphic style)

(botany) rue (Ruta graveolens)

carelessly
hastily

bag made of woven straw
bag filled with straw
(fig.) a good-for-nothing
clumsy oaf

Caohai Lake, Guizhou

lawn

the spongy, white pulp inside the stem of rush plants, used as a wick for oil lamps

sedge

grass
herb

(substitute for 我肏 (wǒcào)) fuck
WTF
(soccer) to waste time by feigning injury

pastureland

medicinal herb (genus Mesona)
grass jelly

flowers and plants

weeds

grass that has grown on a grave since last year
(fig.) grave
to have died long ago
fodder provided to animals for the night

straw mattress
palliasse

straw hat

papyrus

Indian madder; munjeet (Rubia cordifolia)

Lucao or Lutsao Township in Chiayi County 嘉義縣／嘉义县 ( Jiāyì Xiàn), west Taiwan

Asakusa, district of Tokyo with an atmosphere of old Japan, famous for the 7th century Buddhist temple, Sensō-ji

semicursive script

rice straw

grassland
prairie
CL:片 (piàn)

fodder

Asian mugwort or wormwood (genus Artemesia)

fur clothing

weeds
mistress or prostitute (old)

underbrush

(old) sign made of woven weeds, placed on an object, an animal or a person, indicating that it is for sale.

tobacco

compost made with animal manure and straw

tough upright grass
(fig.) a staunch character who is loyal despite danger and hardship

the most handsome boy in the class

lawn
meadow
sod
turf
CL:片 (piàn)

straw sandals

coco-grass; nut sedge (Cyperus rotundus)

straw mattress

thatched hut

aromatic herb
vanilla
alternative name for Eupatorium fortunei
(fig.) loyal and dependable person (old)

vegetation
plants

hay

(bird species of China) eastern grass owl (Tyto longimembris)

see 冬蟲夏草／冬虫夏草 (dongchong-xiācāo)

grasshopper

red root gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon)
flowering plant whose roots provide purple dye
arnebia (plant genus in family Boraginaceae)

a rank growth of grass
uncultivated land
wilderness

sogon grass

hornwort

Chinese alpine rush (botany)

to hoe
to weed

creeper
climbing plant
twiner

the ten numerals 〡,〢,〣,〤,〥,〦,〧,〨,〩,十 nowadays mainly used in traditional trades such as Chinese medicine

Chinese anise (Ilicium anisatum, a shrub with poisonous leaves)

weeds or grass used to feed pigs

deep gratitude up to death

to make a draft
to draw up (plans)

milkweeds (genus Asclepias)

straw weaving

see 草書／草书 (cǎoshū)

straw

reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)

Isatis tinctoria (indigo woad plant)

weed killer
herbicide

snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)

hay fever

paraquat

(fig.) to clutch at straws (in desperation)
to take advantage of the situation (unscrupulously)

Conyza blinii

plant ash

lemongrass

Caotun Township in Nantou County 南投縣／南投县 ( Nántou Xiàn), central Taiwan

(bird species of China) Tibetan babax (Babax koslowi)

plantain herb (Plantago asiatica)

xiāngcǎojīng

vanilla
vanilla extract
methyl vanillin C8H8O3

sage (Salvia officinalis)

sedge herb (Cyperus rotundus)

daylily (Hemerocallis fulva)

prairie
savanna

straw mattress; palliasse

green lacewing

legendary grass conferring invisibility
fig. to conceal oneself or one's plans

hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)

hop (Humulus lupulus), climbing plant whose flower cones are used in brewing beer

spatterdock (Nuphar pumilum), a type of lily

henbit deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule)

Jiancaoping district of Taiyuan city 太原市 ( Tàiyuánshì), Shanxi

(bird species of China) giant babax (Babax waddelli)

see 燈芯絨／灯芯绒 (dēngxīnróng)

genus Carex

edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum)

the rough (golf)

Lucao or Lutsao Township in Chiayi County 嘉義縣／嘉义县 ( Jiāyì Xiàn), west Taiwan

Sarcandra glabra (botany)

Macaokuang village in Tengjia township 滕家鎮／滕家镇, Rongcheng county 榮成／荣成, Weihai 威海, Shandong

tick (zoology)

clover
trefoil

diquat

sb who goes whichever way the wind blows
sb with no mind of their own
easily swayed person
opportunist

lawn mower (machine)

(bird species of China) pallid harrier (Circus macrourus)

motherwort (Leonurus heterophyllus or L. cardiaca)

Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

primrose

Rabdosia lophanthoides (no common name), herb plant of Lamiaceae family (together with mint and lavender), used in TCM

wire grass (Eleusine indica)

wire grass (Eleusine indica)

lawnmower

evening primrose

raffia (loanword)

(bird species of China) steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis)

chameleon plant; fish mint (Houttuynia cordata)

lavender

four-leaf clover

(bird species of China) meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis)

rush (botany)
Juncaceae

Chinese artichoke
Stachys sieboldii

vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanoides)

Chinese herbal medicine

scarecrow

creeping oxalis
edelweiss

blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)

pampered young people unaccustomed to hardship (Tw)

lavender

thyme

vanilla (Vanilla planifolia)

mimosa
sensitive plant (that closes its leaves when touched)

grass mud horse
used as a substitute for 肏你媽／肏你妈 (càonǐmā), to mock or avoid censorship on the Internet

honewort
Cryptotaenia japonica

Boraginaceae (family of flowers and bushes)

rush basket

(bird species of China) Chinese grassbird (Graminicola striatus)

see 燈心草／灯心草 (dēngxīncǎo)

tropical pitcher plant (i.e. genus Nepenthes)

lawn mower

cǎocǎoshōuchǎng

to rush to conclude a matter
to end up abruptly

kūcǎogǎnjūn

bacillus subtilis

cǎomǎnlíngyǔ

lit. jails overgrown with grass (idiom); fig. peaceful society

cǎocǎoliǎoshì

to rush through the work
to get through a thing carelessly

dōngchóng-xiàcǎo

caterpillar fungus (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) (The fungus grows within the body of a caterpillar, culminating in the emergence of a stalked fruiting body from the caterpillar's head, and is a much-prized and expensive ingredient used as a tonic in traditional Chinese medicine.)

jífēngjìngcǎo

lit. sturdy grass withstands high winds (idiom)
fig. strength of character is revealed in a crisis

máowéncǎoméi

(bird species of China) Chinese babax (Babax lanceolatus)

fāngkuàicǎopí

divot (golf)

small, poorly-equipped theatrical troupe that tours small towns and villages
(fig.) makeshift band of individuals
rough and ready outfit

dōngmáocǎogài

thatched roof

báiyāocǎoyù

(bird species of China) green sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)

green grass like cushion (idiom); green meadow so inviting to sleep on

green grass like cushion (idiom); green meadow so inviting to sleep on

cǎomùniǎoshòu

flora and fauna

jiǎncǎochúgēn

lit. cut grass and pull out roots (idiom); fig. to destroy root and branch
to eradicate

cǎoyuánjùxī

Savannah monitor (Varanus exanthematicus)

zhǎncǎochúgēn

to cut weeds and eliminate the roots (idiom); to destroy root and branch
to eliminate completely

cùncǎobùshēng

lit. not even a blade of grass grows (idiom)
fig. barren

very rarely seen, unusual (idiom)

cǎoshídòngwù

herbivore
herbivorous animal

cǎochuánjièjiàn

lit. using straw boats to borrow arrows (idiom, from 三國演義／三国演义 ( Sānguó Yǎnyì))
fig. to use others' manpower and resources for one's own ends

cǎoshuàishōubīng

to work vaguely then retreat (idiom); sloppy and half-hearted
half-baked

cǎogēnwǎngmín

grassroots netizens

dǎcǎojīngshé

lit. beat the grass to scare the snake (idiom)
fig. to inadvertently alert an enemy
to punish sb as a warning to others

cǎojièrénmìng

see 草菅人命 (cǎojiānrénmìng)

Běncǎo Gāngmù

Compendium of Medical Herbs 1596, compiled by Li Shizhen 李時珍／李时珍 ( Lǐ Shízhēn)

Mǎcǎokuǎngcūn

Macaokuang village in Tengjia township 滕家鎮／滕家镇, Rongcheng county 榮成／荣成, Weihai 威海, Shandong

zhānhuārěcǎo

to fondle the flowers and trample the grass (idiom)
to womanize
to frequent brothels
to sow one's wild oats

shícǎodòngwù

herbivore

huāngyānmàncǎo

lit. abandoned by men and choked with weeds
desolate (idiom)

Jiāncǎopíngqū

Jiancaoping district of Taiyuan city 太原市 ( Tàiyuánshì), Shanxi

Xīnxiūběncǎo

Tang dynasty compendium of herbal medicine

cǎomùjiēbīng

lit. every tree or bush an enemy soldier (idiom); fig. to panic and treat everyone as an enemy
to feel beleaguered

jiécǎoxiánhuán

to repay sb's kind acts (idiom)

niānhuārěcǎo

lit. to pick the flowers and trample the grass (idiom)
fig. to womanize
to frequent brothels
to sow one's wild oats

grass radical 艹

cǎoyuánbǎilíng

(bird species of China) calandra lark (Melanocorypha calandra)

cǎolülíyīng

(bird species of China) eastern olivaceous warbler (Iduna pallida)

cǎoběnzhíwù

herbaceous plant

cǎocǎoshōubīng

to work vaguely then retreat (idiom); sloppy and half-hearted
half-baked

cǎojiānrénmìng

to have disregard for human life (idiom)

jiùmìngdàocǎo

(one's) last straw to clutch at; one's last hope

fēngchuīcǎodòng

lit. grass stirring in the wind (idiom)
fig. the slightest whiff of trouble

Dù Fǔ Cǎotáng

Du Fu's Thatched Cottage (park and museum in Chengdu)

erhua variant of 隱身草／隐身草 (yǐnshēncǎo)

rěcǎoniānhuā

see 拈花惹草 (niānhuārěcǎo)

jīcǎo-túnliáng

to stockpile provisions in preparation for war

Zhōng Yàcǎoyuán

Central Asian grasslands

fànqiǔrúcǎo

lit. to live on dry provisions and wild herbs (idiom)
fig. to live in abject poverty

luòcǎowéikòu

to take to the woods to become an outlaw (idiom)

zhāofēngrěcǎo

(idiom) to bring trouble on oneself

rěcǎozhānhuā

see 沾花惹草 (zhānhuārěcǎo)

jífēngzhījìngcǎo

疾风知劲草

[疾風知勁草]

lit. sturdy grass withstands high winds (idiom)
fig. strength of character is revealed in a crisis

cǎoyuánhuībóláo

草原灰伯劳

[草原灰伯勞]

(bird species of China) steppe grey shrike (Lanius pallidirostris)

báihuāshéshécǎo

白花蛇舌草

[白花蛇舌草]

Hedyotis diffusa

Shénnóng Běncǎo Jīng

神农本草经

[神農本草經]

Shennong's Compendium of Materia Medica, a Han dynasty pharmacological compendium, 3 scrolls

sāndàoméicǎowú

三道眉草鹀

[三道眉草鵐]

(bird species of China) meadow bunting (Emberiza cioides)

Wūlātècǎoyuán

乌拉特草原

[烏拉特草原]

Urat plain in Bayan Nur 巴彥淖爾／巴彦淖尔 ( Bāyànnào'ěr), Inner Mongolia

Nàlādīcǎoyuán

那拉提草原

[那拉提草原]

Nalat grasslands

lǎoniúchīnèncǎo

老牛吃嫩草

[老牛吃嫩草]

lit. an old cow eats young grass (idiom)
fig. a May-December relationship
a romance where the man is significantly older than the woman

Bālǐkūncǎoyuán

巴里坤草原

[巴里坤草原]

Barkol grasslands near Hami in Xinjiang

Nányàdàcǎoyīng

南亚大草莺

[南亞大草鶯]

(bird species of China) Indian grassbird (Graminicola bengalensis)

Bāyīnbùkècǎoyuán

巴音布克草原

[巴音布克草原]

Bayanbulak grasslands in Uldus basin of Tianshan mountains

Yuèwēi Cǎotáng Bǐjì

阅微草堂笔记

[閱微草堂筆記]

Notes on a Minutely Observed Thatched Hut by Ji Yun 紀昀／纪昀 ( Jì Yún), novel of the supernatural
The Thatched Study of Close Scrutiny

Hūlúnbèi'ěrcǎoyuán

呼伦贝尔草原

[呼倫貝爾草原]

Hulunbuir grasslands of Inner Mongolia

hǎomǎbùchīhuítóucǎo

好马不吃回头草

[好馬不吃回頭草]

lit. a good horse doesn't turn around and graze the same patch again (idiom)
fig. once you've moved on, don't go back again (romantic relationship, job etc)
leave the past behind

dàhuìbàogàoqǐcǎorén

大会报告起草人

[大會報告起草人]

rapporteur

tùzibùchīwōbiāncǎo

兔子不吃窝边草

[兔子不吃窩邊草]

lit. a rabbit never eats the grass beside its own burrow (idiom)
fig. even a scoundrel does not do harm in his immediate neighborhood

tiānyáhéchùwúfāngcǎo

天涯何处无芳草

[天涯何處無芳草]

there are plenty more fish in the sea (idiom)

ǎijiǎobáihuāshélìcǎo

矮脚白花蛇利草

[矮腳白花蛇利草]

see 白花蛇舌草 (báihuāshéshécǎo)

bīngmǎwèidòng,liángcǎoxiānxíng

兵马未动，粮草先行

[兵馬未動，糧草先行]

before the troops move, fodder and provisions go first (idiom); logistics comes before military maneuvers
an army marches on its stomach

rénshēngyīshì,cǎomùyīchūn

人生一世，草木一春

[人生一世，草木一春]

Man has but one life, grass but one spring (idiom). fig. the brevity of human existence

jífēngzhījìncǎo,lièhuǒjiànzhēnjīn

疾风知劲草，烈火见真金

[疾風知勁草，烈火見真金]

lit. sturdy grass withstands high winds and true gold stands the test of fire (idiom)
fig. strength of character is revealed in a crisis

yāsǐluòtuodezuìhòuyīgēndàocǎo

压死骆驼的最后一根稻草

[壓死駱駝的最後一根稻草]

the straw that broke the camel’s back (idiom)
the final straw

yòuyàomǎrpǎo,yòuyàomǎrbùchīcǎo

又要马儿跑，又要马儿不吃草

[又要馬兒跑，又要馬兒不吃草]

lit. you can't expect the horse to run fast but not let it graze (idiom)
fig. you can't have your cake and eat it, too

mǎwúyècǎobùféi,rénwúwàikuàibùfù

马无夜草不肥，人无外快不富

[馬無夜草不肥，人無外快不富]

a horse cannot get fat without an extra ration, a man cannot get rich without an extra income (idiom)

yòuyàomǎrhǎo,yòuyàomǎrbùchīcǎo

又要马儿好，又要马儿不吃草

[又要馬兒好，又要馬兒不吃草]

see 又要馬兒跑，又要馬兒不吃草／又要马儿跑，又要马儿不吃草 (yòuyàomǎrpǎo,yòuyàomǎrbùchīcǎo)