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a sapling + verb
sapling 是可数名词，单数形式作主语时，谓语动词用第三人称单数。
A sapling needs water and sunlight to grow.
树苗需要水和阳光才能生长。
树苗；小树
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
树苗；小树
young tree
A sapling needs water and sunlight to grow.
树苗需要水和阳光才能生长。
比幼苗大的幼树。
A young tree, larger than a seedling.
幼树
young tree
年轻人,尤指接近成年的男性。
A youngster, especially a male nearing maturity.
The gardener planted a sapling in the backyard.
园丁在后院种了一棵树苗。
These saplings need plenty of water to grow into strong trees.
这些树苗需要充足的水分才能长成强壮的大树。
The sapling has already grown taller than the fence.
这棵小树已经长得比篱笆还高了。
sapling 是可数名词，单数形式作主语时，谓语动词用第三人称单数。
A sapling needs water and sunlight to grow.
树苗需要水和阳光才能生长。
sapling 的复数形式直接在词尾加 -s；作主语时谓语动词用复数形式。
Saplings grow quickly in spring.
树苗在春天长得很快。
Not this
There are many sapling in the park.
Use this
There are many saplings in the park.
sapling 是可数名词，复数形式为 saplings；在 many 等词后必须用复数，不能说 many sapling。
Not this
The farmer planted rice saplings in the field.
Use this
The farmer planted rice seedlings in the field.
sapling 指已经长成的小树，而刚发芽的秧苗/幼苗应使用 seedling；两者不能仅因中文都译作“苗”而互换。
Not this
The sapling will grow to a big tree.
Use this
The sapling will grow into a big tree.
表示“长成（某种事物）”时 grow 后接 into，而不是 to；grow to 通常后接数量或程度，如 grow to six feet。中文“长成”容易直译成 grow to，这里需要用 into。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
种植树苗
We planted a sapling in the garden.
我们在花园里种了一棵小树苗。
小树苗；幼树
The young sapling needs plenty of water.
这棵小树苗需要充足的水分。
橡树幼树
An oak sapling was growing beside the path.
一棵橡树幼树正长在小路旁。
树苗长成大树
The sapling slowly grew into a large tree.
这棵小树苗慢慢长成了一棵大树。
树苗在风中摇曳
The saplings swayed in the wind.
树苗在风中摇曳。
Use sapling naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
联想 sap（树汁）+ ling（小东西）：还带着树汁的小树，就是“树苗”。
语域：neutral 常见场景：forestry、gardening、nature observation 该词为中性常用词，通常指幼小的树，多用于园艺、林业或日常描述自然场景；正式和口语场合都适用，但正式文献中更常用 young tree 或 seedling 等词。
Genuine rhymes: grappling /ˈɡræplɪŋ/ and dappling /ˈdæplɪŋ/. Lookalikes that do not rhyme: sapping and mapping (/ˈsæpɪŋ, ˈmæpɪŋ/, no /l/), sampling (/ˈsæmplɪŋ/, /m/ not /p/), seedling (/ˈsiːdlɪŋ/, different vowel).
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.