gan1根

Jyutpinggan1

Yalegān

名詞Uncommon

Definition

Root of a plant, used for support and absorbing nutrients.

neutralnature

How it's used

Beyond the literal botanical meaning, this word is frequently used metaphorically to describe the origin or foundation of something, such as one's ancestral home or cultural background. It carries a sense of stability and connection to the earth or a starting point.

Measure word

tiu4條tìuh

Examples

le1呢syu6樹di1啲gan1根saang1生dak1得hou2好sam1深。

The roots of this tree have grown very deep.

nei5你si5試haa5下bat6拔zau2走go2嗰tiu4條gan1根。

Try pulling out that root.

Common phrases

syu6樹gan1根

tree root

gan1根gei1基

foundation

Common mistake

Avoid confusing this with the classifier 根, which is used for long, thin objects like cigarettes or hair. In a botanical context, always use the classifier 條 when counting individual roots.