海棗

海棗

1. (literary) a kind of fruit in Chinese mythology

   景公謂晏子曰：「東海之中，有水而赤，其中有棗，華而不實，何也？」晏子對曰：「昔者秦繆公乘龍舟而理天下，以黃布裹烝棗，至東海而捐其布，彼黃布，故水赤；烝棗，故華而不實。」公曰：「吾詳問子，何為對？」晏子對曰：「嬰聞之，詳問者，亦詳對之也。」 [MSC, trad.]
   景公谓晏子曰：“东海之中，有水而赤，其中有枣，华而不实，何也？”晏子对曰：“昔者秦缪公乘龙舟而理天下，以黄布裹烝枣，至东海而捐其布，彼黄布，故水赤；烝枣，故华而不实。”公曰：“吾详问子，何为对？”晏子对曰：“婴闻之，详问者，亦详对之也。” [MSC, simp.]

   From: 《晏子春秋·外篇下十三》

   Jǐnggōng wèi Yàn Zǐ yuē: “Dōnghǎi zhī zhōng, yǒu shuǐ ér chì, qí zhōng yǒu zǎo, huá ér bù shí, hé yě?” Yàn Zǐ duì yuē: “Xī zhě Qín Miàogōng chéng lóngzhōu ér lǐ tiānxià, yǐ huáng bù guǒ zhēng zǎo, zhì Dōnghǎi ér juān qí bù, bǐ huáng bù, gù shuǐ chì; zhēng zǎo, gù Huá ér bù shí.” Gōng yuē: “Wú xiáng wèn zǐ, hé wèi duì?” Yàn Zǐ duì yuē: “Yīng wén zhī, xiáng wèn zhě, yì xiáng duì zhī yě.” [Pinyin]

   Duke Jing spoke to Yanzi: "In the Eastern Sea, there are waters which are red, and there are jujubes in it, which flower but do not bear fruit; what are they?" Yanzi replied: "In olden times, Duke Miao ruled all under heaven riding on a dragon boat, and used a yellow cloth to wrap and steam jujubes, and when he reached the Eastern Sea, he wrung this cloth; because of that cloth, the waters are red; because he steamed the jujubes, they flower but do not bear fruit." The Duke spoke: "I invented everything I asked you about, so how could you reply?" Yanzi answered: "I have heard it said that when someone invents a question, you can also invent an answer."

2. (literary, figuratively) chimerical thing

   譬彼春華，同夫海棗。 [MSC, trad.]
   譬彼春华，同夫海枣。 [MSC, simp.]

   From: 《文選·陸倕＜新刻漏銘＞》

   Pì bǐ chūnhuá, tóng fū hǎizǎo. [Pinyin]

   (please add an English translation of this example)

3. date palm (Phoenix dactylifera)

   海棗樹身無閑枝，直聳三四丈，而樹頂四面共生十餘枝，葉如栟櫚，五年一實，實甚大，如杯碗，核兩頭不尖，雙卷而圓，其味極甘美，安邑御棗無以加也。 [MSC, trad.]
   海枣树身无闲枝，直耸三四丈，而树顶四面共生十余枝，叶如栟榈，五年一实，实甚大，如杯碗，核两头不尖，双卷而圆，其味极甘美，安邑御枣无以加也。 [MSC, simp.]

   From: 晉·嵇含《南方草木狀》卷下

   Hǎizǎo shù shēn wú xiánzhī, zhí sǒng sān sì zhàng, ér shù dǐng sì miàn gòng shēng shí yú zhī, yè rú 栟lǘ, wǔ nián yī shí, shí shèn dà, rú bēi wǎn, hé liǎng tóu bù jiān, shuāng juǎn ér yuán, qí wèi jí gānměi, Ānyì yù zǎo wú yǐ jiā yě. [Pinyin]

   (please add an English translation of this example)

• 椰棗／椰枣 (yēzǎo)