mulberry

IPA/ˈmʌlbəri/
KK[mˈʌlbˌɛri]IPA/ˈmʌlberi/

mulberry — noun

  • mulberrysingular
  • mulberriesplural

1. a small, soft, dark purple fruit that grows in clusters on a broad-leaved tree;

1.名詞B1
釋義

a small, soft, dark purple fruit that grows in clusters on a broad-leaved tree; also the tree itself, noted for its leaves which are the main food of silkworms.

例句

The children picked ripe mulberries from the tree and ate them with delight.

collocation: pick mulberries / ripe mulberries

Amara made a thick mulberry jam with the berries she harvested last summer.

culinary use: mulberry jam

同義詞
  • blackberry

    a different fruit that looks similar but grows on a thorny bush, not a tree

  • loganberry

    a hybrid berry similar in shape but less common

用法筆記

When referring to the individual berries, mulberry is a countable noun (one mulberry, two mulberries). When referring to the tree, it is also countable. Silkworms feed almost exclusively on the leaves of the white mulberry (Morus alba).

常見錯誤

We picked mulberries from the mulberry's tree.
We picked mulberries from the mulberry tree.
💡The tree is called a 'mulberry tree,' not 'mulberry's tree.'

2. a dark red-purple colour, similar to the colour of ripe mulberries.

2.名詞B1
釋義

a dark red-purple colour, similar to the colour of ripe mulberries.

例句

Wei chose a mulberry scarf to match his charcoal winter coat.

modifier: mulberry + noun (colour of clothing)

The living room curtains were a deep mulberry shade that gave the room a warm feel.

modifier: mulberry shade / deep mulberry

同義詞
  • burgundy

    a similar dark red-purple, but slightly more red and named after the wine

  • plum

    a similar dark purple shade, named after the fruit

  • aubergine

    a very dark purple, named after the vegetable, common in British English

用法筆記

Mulberry as a colour name is typically uncountable. It is often used as an attributive noun before another noun (a mulberry dress, mulberry paint). The colour sits between red and purple on the spectrum, darker than magenta.