Plants & Garden
beginner花草园艺
Learn vocabulary for common plants, flowers, and gardening activities. Explore the cultural significance of plants in Chinese tradition and everyday life.
37 words12 phrases2 dialogues~25 min study time
Vocabulary
37 words — click any row for an example sentence
Plants
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 花 | huā | flower | noun |
| 树 | shù | tree | noun |
| 草 | cǎo | grass | noun |
| 盆栽 | pénzāi | potted plant | noun |
| 多肉 | duōròu | succulent plant | noun |
| 植物 | zhíwù | plant | noun |
| 叶子 | yèzi | leaf | noun |
| 根 | gēn | root | noun |
| 种子 | zhǒngzi | seed | noun |
Care
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 浇水 | jiāo shuǐ | to water (plants) | verb |
| 施肥 | shī féi | to fertilize | verb |
| 晒太阳 | shài tàiyáng | to get sunlight; to bask in the sun | verb |
| 修剪 | xiūjiǎn | to prune; to trim | verb |
| 换盆 | huàn pén | to repot (a plant) | verb |
| 土壤 | tǔrǎng | soil | noun |
| 花盆 | huāpén | flower pot | noun |
| 种 | zhòng | to plant; to grow | verb |
| 枯萎 | kūwěi | to wilt; to wither | verb |
| 阳台 | yángtái | balcony | noun |
| 花园 | huāyuán | garden | noun |
| 花瓶 | huāpíng | vase | noun |
Seasons
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 发芽 | fāyá | to sprout; to germinate | verb |
| 开花 | kāi huā | to bloom; to flower | verb |
| 落叶 | luòyè | falling leaves; to shed leaves | noun |
| 结果 | jiē guǒ | to bear fruit | verb |
| 花期 | huāqī | flowering period; bloom season | noun |
Types
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 玫瑰 | méiguì | rose | noun |
| 兰花 | lánhuā | orchid | noun |
| 竹子 | zhúzi | bamboo | noun |
| 向日葵 | xiàngrìkuí | sunflower | noun |
| 仙人掌 | xiānrénzhǎng | cactus | noun |
| 牡丹 | mǔdān | peony | noun |
| 荷花 | héhuā | lotus flower | noun |
| 菊花 | júhuā | chrysanthemum | noun |
| 桃花 | táohuā | peach blossom | noun |
| 绿萝 | lǜluó | pothos; devil's ivy | noun |
| 梅花 | méihuā | plum blossom | noun |
Key Phrases
Essential expressions
你会养花吗？
Nǐ huì yǎng huā ma?
Do you know how to grow flowers?
Asking someone about their gardening skills.
这种花多久浇一次水？
Zhè zhǒng huā duō jiǔ jiāo yí cì shuǐ?
How often should this flower be watered?
Asking about watering frequency for a specific plant.
这棵植物需要多少阳光？
Zhè kē zhíwù xūyào duōshao yángguāng?
How much sunlight does this plant need?
Inquiring about a plant's light requirements.
花都开了，真好看！
Huā dōu kāi le, zhēn hǎokàn!
The flowers are all blooming. They are so beautiful!
Admiring flowers in bloom during a walk or at home.
我的花枯萎了，怎么办？
Wǒ de huā kūwěi le, zěnme bàn?
My flowers wilted. What should I do?
Asking for advice when a plant is not doing well.
这个花盆太小了，需要换一个大的。
Zhège huāpén tài xiǎo le, xūyào huàn yí ge dà de.
This flower pot is too small. It needs a bigger one.
Discussing repotting a plant that has outgrown its container.
送花在中国有什么讲究吗？
Sòng huā zài Zhōngguó yǒu shénme jiǎngjiu ma?
Are there any customs about giving flowers in China?
Asking about Chinese flower-gifting etiquette.
阳台上种点什么好？
Yángtái shàng zhòng diǎn shénme hǎo?
What is good to grow on the balcony?
Asking for plant recommendations for balcony gardening.
牡丹是中国的国花。
Mǔdān shì Zhōngguó de guóhuā.
The peony is the national flower of China.
Sharing cultural knowledge about Chinese flower symbolism.
多肉好养，适合新手。
Duōròu hǎo yǎng, shìhé xīnshǒu.
Succulents are easy to care for and suitable for beginners.
Recommending beginner-friendly plants.
春天到了，种子该发芽了。
Chūntiān dào le, zhǒngzi gāi fāyá le.
Spring is here. The seeds should be sprouting.
Talking about seasonal plant growth.
我想买几盆花放在办公室里。
Wǒ xiǎng mǎi jǐ pén huā fàng zài bàngōngshì lǐ.
I want to buy a few pots of flowers to put in the office.
Talking about buying plants for indoor decoration.
Dialogues
Practice conversations
Shopping at a Flower Market
A customer visits a flower market to buy plants for their new apartment balcony. The vendor helps them choose suitable plants.
Speaker A
你好，我想买几盆花放在阳台上，有什么推荐的吗？
Speaker B
你家阳台朝哪个方向？光照怎么样？
Speaker A
朝南的，阳光很充足。但是我是新手，不太会养花。
Speaker B
那我建议你买几盆多肉和绿萝。多肉不用经常浇水，绿萝特别好养，在哪儿都能活。
Speaker A
好的。我还想要一盆开花的，有什么好看又好养的吗？
Speaker B
你可以试试太阳花，特别适合放在阳台，太阳越大开得越好。十块钱一盆。
Speaker A
好的，那我要两盆多肉、一盆绿萝、一盆太阳花。一共多少钱？
Speaker B
多肉十五一盆，绿萝二十，太阳花十块。一共六十。买四盆我给你送个花盆。
Cultural note: Flower markets (花卉市场) are popular weekend destinations in Chinese cities. They sell a wide variety of plants, flowers, pots, and gardening supplies at lower prices than retail stores. Bargaining is common, and vendors often throw in small extras for repeat or bulk customers.
Discussing a Dying Plant
A colleague notices that their coworker's desk plant is wilting and offers advice on how to save it.
Speaker A
你桌上的绿萝怎么叶子都黄了？看起来快死了。
Speaker B
是吗？我每天都给它浇很多水啊。
Speaker A
那可能就是水浇太多了。绿萝不用天天浇水，土干了再浇就行。
Speaker B
原来如此。我还以为水越多越好呢。那需要晒太阳吗？
Speaker A
绿萝喜欢散射光，不用直接放在阳光下。放在窗户旁边就可以。
Speaker B
那黄叶子要不要剪掉？
Speaker A
要的，黄了的叶子剪掉，新叶子就会长得更好。然后过两个月施一次肥就行了。
Speaker B
谢谢你！看来养花也是一门学问啊。
Cultural note: Indoor plants are extremely popular in Chinese offices and homes. Pothos (绿萝) is the most common office plant because it is believed to purify the air and requires minimal care. The phrase 一门学问 (yì mén xuéwèn, "a field of knowledge") reflects the Chinese appreciation for expertise in any domain, even something as everyday as plant care.
Cultural Notes
Context that textbooks miss
Test Yourself
8 questions covering vocabulary, phrases, and dialogue comprehension.
Take the Plants & Garden Quiz (8 questions)→HSK Level Overlap
5 of 37 words appear in HSK levels