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March 24, 2026
檬méng(meng2)
The character 檬 (méng) refers to a type of locust tree, specifically associated with the genus Robinia. It is also used to denote lemon, particularly in regional contexts. This word is less common and may be encountered in specific botanical or culinary discussions.
Strokes17Radical木
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, lemons are not as commonly used as in Western cooking, but they are appreciated for their flavor in certain dishes and beverages. The locust tree also has cultural significance, as it is known for its durability and is often planted for shade.
Memory Tip
Imagine a lemon tree with long, twisting branches resembling the shape of the character 檬. The top part (木) represents 'tree,' while the component (孟) can remind you of 'making lemon tea'—a vivid image to connect the character to its meanings and pronunciation.
Meanings of 檬
méng(meng2)
1a type of locust tree
2lemon
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 檬
檬Simplified
17Strokes
木Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 檬
Podcast: 檬
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AI Study Notes for 檬
Usage Notes
This word is not frequently used in everyday conversation, so it may come across as formal or technical. Be careful to use it in the right botanical or culinary context to avoid confusion with more common words for lemon (柠檬 níngméng) or trees. Learners should also watch out for tone pronunciation, as the wrong tone can change the meaning completely.
HSK Study Tips
While 檬 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it relates to HSK Level 4 vocabulary around nature and plants. Students should focus on learning related terms such as trees (树 shù) and fruits (水果 shuǐguǒ) to build contextual understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners may confuse 檬 with more common characters like 柠 (níng) and use them interchangeably, leading to misunderstandings. For instance, saying '我喜欢吃檬' (I like to eat 檬) would be incorrect if referring to lemon, as it should be '我喜欢吃柠檬' (I like to eat lemon).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 檬
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2The sound half蒙 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaytree
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 檬? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 檬?
Decomposition of 檬
IDS Structure⿰木蒙
檬Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
蒙meng1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 檬?
How to say a type of locust tree in Chinese
“a type of locust tree” in Chinese is檬méng
The character 檬 (méng) refers to a type of locust tree, specifically associated with the genus Robinia. It is also used to denote lemon, particularly in regional contexts. This word is less common and may be encountered in specific botanical or culinary discussions.
When to use 檬
This word is not frequently used in everyday conversation, so it may come across as formal or technical. Be careful to use it in the right botanical or culinary context to avoid confusion with more common words for lemon (柠檬 níngméng) or trees. Learners should also watch out for tone pronunciation, as the wrong tone can change the meaning completely.
What learners get wrong
Learners may confuse 檬 with more common characters like 柠 (níng) and use them interchangeably, leading to misunderstandings. For instance, saying '我喜欢吃檬' (I like to eat 檬) would be incorrect if referring to lemon, as it should be '我喜欢吃柠檬' (I like to eat lemon).
Write 檬
檬
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Practice writing 檬 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 檬
檬 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
麦圭尔举起瓶子咕咚咕咚地喝了一大通苦柠____汁。
McGuire took a long swig from his bottle of bitter lemon.
