English Reference

Word

bamboo

Phoneticsbam·boo, stress on the second syllable

/bæmˈbu/

Definitions

01the plant

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. a tall tropical plant with hard, hollow stems that grows very quickly.

n. any of the various fast-growing grasses of the subfamily Bambusoideae, characterized by hollow, jointed stems.

“Pandas spend most of their day eating the leaves and shoots of bamboo.”

“The botanical garden features a dense grove of timber bamboo that reaches heights of over twenty metres in a single season.”

Synonyms

canereed

02the material

B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun

n. the wood from the bamboo plant used to make things like floors or furniture.

n. the harvested wood of the bamboo plant utilized as a sustainable material for construction, textiles, and furniture.

“We decided to install bamboo flooring because it is environmentally friendly.”

“Architects are increasingly specifying bamboo for structural elements due to its high strength-to-weight ratio and rapid renewability.”

Synonyms

timberwood

03made of bamboo

A2 · Elementary

adj. made from the wood or fibers of the bamboo plant.

adj. constructed from or composed of bamboo wood or processed bamboo fibers.

“She bought a set of bamboo steaming baskets for cooking dumplings.”

“The artisan displayed a collection of bamboo flutes, each hand-carved to produce a unique tonal quality.”

Synonyms

wooden

04to hit with a cane

C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Formal

v. to hit someone with a stick made of bamboo as a punishment.

v. to perform corporal punishment by striking an individual with a bamboo cane.

“In the old school records, some students were bambooed for breaking the rules.”

“Historical accounts of the colonial penal system describe how prisoners were frequently bambooed for even the most minor infractions of discipline.”

Usage

This verb is transitive and requires a direct object.

Synonyms

flogcanewhip

Idioms

01. bamboo ceiling

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
Frequency
Frequent
Level
A2 · Elementary
Updated

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