Chinese
lǜyè
Meaning: green leaf; supporting role
Part of Speech: Noun

Listen to pronunciation

Handwriting

綠葉
綠
葉
绿叶
绿
叶

Example sentences

Although the red flower is beautiful, it also needs green leaves to set it off.
綠葉把紅花襯得更好看。
绿叶把红花衬得更好看。
Green leaves make the red flowers stand out even more.
紅花配綠葉,十分好看。
红花配绿叶,十分好看。
Red flowers paired with green leaves look very beautiful.
綠葉將紅花襯托得更加美麗。
绿叶将红花衬托得更加美丽。
The green leaves set off the red flowers beautifully.

Usage Notes

Literally means 'green leaf', but it is often used metaphorically to describe a supporting role that makes the main character stand out.

Sottaku

About Sottaku

Sottaku is an app for learning Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian with a strong focus on SRS. It includes automatic flashcard creation for hundreds of thousands of words, grammar breakdowns in example sentences, language-specific study packs where available, adaptive quizzes, mobile apps, a browser extension, and community features. Give it a try now! All learning content is free with no limits on flashcards or study time.

Sottaku is built to match the habits of successful learners. By using Sottaku, you will naturally learn in the most efficient way possible, as proven by countless success stories in the language learning community.

Free Forever

Access all grammar guides, quizzes, and flashcards without paying a cent. Quality education should be accessible to everyone.

Smart SRS System

Our flashcard system uses the FSRS algorithm (also used in Anki) to optimize your review schedule and maximize retention.

Comprehensive Content

From hanzi, kana, hangul, and European vocabulary basics to grammar and reading practice where available, we have lessons for every level. Practice with quizzes tailored to your skill.

Community Chat

Ask level-appropriate questions and get help from the community. Learn together with fellow learners across all 8 supported languages.