幹

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 幹 is read as みき and is a noun for the main trunk or stem of a tree that rises from the roots and supports its branches.
• Basic usage: A thick trunk appears in 太い幹, while a broken branch caught on it appears in 木の幹.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The main stem of a tree
  • It is the central woody part rising from the ground and supporting the smaller branches.
• Difference from 枝
  • 幹 is the main trunk of a tree, whereas 枝 denotes the parts that branch out from it.