tung tree

9.1

A tree from China with seeds that make oil used to finish wood and make paint

noun
/tʌŋ tri/

: árbol de tung

Tung oil, extracted from the seeds of the tung tree, is highly valued by woodworkers.

Examples

The plantation included hundreds of tung trees for harvesting tung oil.
Many tung trees grow in southern China.
Leaves from the tung tree are broad and heart-shaped, distinguishing it from other native species.
The tung tree is known for its valuable seeds.
The plantation included hundreds of tung trees for harvesting tung oil.
Tung oil, extracted from the seeds of the tung tree, is highly valued by woodworkers.
Many tung trees grow in southern China, where the climate is ideal for them.

Synonyms

tung

vstung tree

1 9.9

A Chinese tree whose seeds make oil used to protect and shine wood

is the common descriptive term without the botanical label

tung-oil tree

vstung tree

9.7

A Chinese tree that loses its leaves and has seeds used to make tung oil

focuses on oil use rather than noting deciduous growth habit

Aleurites fordii

vstung tree

Specialized

9.9

A Chinese tree that produces seeds used to make tung oil for varnish and paint

is the familiar descriptive name emphasising wood finishing rather than Latin nomenclature

Surface Forms

tung tree singular

tung trees plural

Morphology

tung + tree

The meaning is directly compositional: 'tung' names the species (known for tung oil) and 'tree' denotes a tree, so 'tung tree' simply denotes a tree of that species. This species-name + tree compound is a common and transparent pattern cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Tung tree may come from the Chinese name tung, the tree whose seeds make 'tung oil'. So the name tells us the tree is known for its useful 'oil'.