lotus
lotus — noun
1. A plant that grows in lakes and ponds, with broad round leaves that rest flat on
A plant that grows in lakes and ponds, with broad round leaves that rest flat on the water's surface and large flowers whose petals spread out in layers around a central cone. The lotus is native to warm parts of Africa and Asia and is regarded as sacred in Buddhism and Hinduism.
Every summer, the pond near Adisa's house is covered with pink lotus flowers.
collocation: pink lotus / lotus flowers
In many temple courtyards across Taiwan, visitors can see lotus plants growing in stone pools.
lotus as temple/cultural symbol in Asia
The lotus is a symbol of purity in Buddhist teachings, rising clean from muddy water.
A single lotus leaf can grow wider than a bicycle wheel.
- water lily
A broader term that includes several related plants; lotus refers specifically to the genus Nelumbo, whose flowers rise above the water and whose seed pod is cone-shaped.
文法句型
lotus + noun (e.g. lotus flower, lotus leaf)
用法筆記
Often used in religious and artistic contexts — the lotus appears frequently in Buddhist and Hindu iconography, as well as in traditional East Asian art and poetry.
2. In ancient Greek stories, a fruit that causes anyone who eats it to feel peacefu
In ancient Greek stories, a fruit that causes anyone who eats it to feel peacefully lazy, lose all desire to travel or work, and forget about returning home.
In the Odyssey, sailors who ate the lotus lost all wish to return home.
mythological reference: Homer's Odyssey
The poet described the sweet lotus as a source of dreamy forgetfulness.
literary/poetic use
Ziad compared the lazy summer mood to eating the lotus from Greek myth.
Lauren read about the lotus-eaters in class and found their indifference strange.
文法句型
the lotus (fruit)
用法筆記
Nearly always refers to the specific fruit from Greek mythology, not to the plant in sense 1. The phrase 'lotus-eater' (or 'lotophagi') may be used to describe someone who leads a lazy, pleasure-seeking life.