桑梓

Chinese

mulberry tree Catalpa kaempferi
trad. (桑梓) 桑 梓
simp. #(桑梓) 桑 梓

Etymology

桑 (sāng, “mulberry”) and 梓 (zǐ, “Catalpa ovata, Chinese catalpa”) used to be commonly planted next to residences, and have been used as a metonym for one's birthplace since the Eastern Han.

桑梓二木，古者五畝之宅，樹之墻下，以遺子孫……桑梓，父母所植。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
桑梓二木，古者五亩之宅，树之墙下，以遗子孙……桑梓，父母所植。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Zhu Xi, Commentaries on the Book of Odes
Sāng zǐ èr mù, gǔ zhě wǔmǔzhīzhái, shù zhī qiáng xià, yǐ wèi zǐsūn...... Sāng zǐ, fùmǔ suǒ zhí. [Pinyin]
In ancient times, two types of trees, sāng and zǐ, were planted along the walls of the house as a bestowment to the next generation... Sāng and zǐ – it was the parents who planted them.

Pronunciation

Noun

桑梓

  1. (literary, figurative) hometown; birthplace
    Synonym: 枌榆 (fényú)

Japanese

Kanji in this term
桑 梓
そう
Grade: S 		し
Jinmeiyō
on'yomi

Noun

桑(そう)梓(し) • (sōshi) ←さうし (sausi)?

  1. mulberry trees and cherry-birch trees
  2. (literary, figurative) one's hometown
    Synonyms: 故郷 (furusato), 家郷 (kakyō)
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