cedar

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 杉 has 7 strokes and refers to a cedar tree.
• Basic usage: 杉, the tree, is read すぎ, while 杉林, a cedar forest, is read すぎばやし.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Part of a tree and a forest of trees
  • 杉の葉 means cedar leaves. の links the tree with one of its parts.
  • In 杉林, the final 林 is read ばやし. The whole word means a forest where cedar trees grow together.