苗 miáo sprouts

源How it came to be

Grass growing on top of a field. It is not wild grass: the field underneath says somebody planted it, and what is showing is the first green of the crop.

用How it is used

• A young plant/seedling, and by extension an early sign - 禾苗 (hémiáo) grain seedlings, 树苗 (shùmiáo) sapling, 苗头 (miáotou) the first signs/tendency of something.
• Two important extensions: 疫苗 (yìmiáo) vaccine, and 苗条 (miáotiao) slim/slender (of figure). Idiom 揠苗助长 (yàmiáo-zhùzhǎng) to ruin things through impatient over-helping.

字Characters built with 苗

• 猫 cat
• 描 to copy
• 瞄 to take aim at

词Words with 苗

• 揠苗助长yàmiáo-zhùzhǎngto ruin things through impatience (idiom); to force growthHSK 8
• 疫苗yìmiáovaccineHSK 9
• 禾苗hémiáoseedling (of rice or other grain)HSK 9
• 苗头miáotoufirst signsHSK 9
• 苗条miáotiaoslimHSK 9

句Example sentences

• 她越来越苗条了。 Tā yuè lái yuèmiáotiáo le.She's getting slimmer.