bonsai

noun

bon·​sai (ˌ)bōn-ˈsī 

ˈbōn-ˌsī, 

ˈbän-ˌsī 

also ˈbän-ˌzī

plural bonsai

: a potted plant (such as a tree) dwarfed (as by pruning) and trained to an artistic shape

also : the art of growing such a plant

Illustration of bonsai

Did you know?

This is a living dwarf tree. The word bonsai can also refer to the art of training and growing these dwarf plants in containers. Bonsai specimens are ordinary trees and shrubs, not hereditary dwarfs; they are dwarfed by a system of pruning roots and branches and training branches by tying them with wire. The art originated in China, but has been pursued and developed primarily by the Japanese. The inspiration for bonsai is found in nature, in trees that grow in harsh, rocky places, and are dwarfed and gnarled throughout their existence. Bonsai may live for a century or more and can be handed down from one generation to another. Bonsai pots, usually earthenware and of variable shape, are carefully chosen to harmonize in color and proportion with the tree. A sizable bonsai industry exists as part of the nursery industry in Japan. California is home to a small-scale bonsai industry.

Examples of bonsai in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For a royal experience, Greenfield-Turk recommends Tinh Gia Vien, set within a private family home surrounded by bonsai gardens and a lotus pond. — Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2026

In a far corner of Oviedo, Mugendai is a bonsai of sorts, a Japanese restaurant gently shaped by its chef, whose love for tradition and technique has grown it slowly and steadily. — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 June 2026

With over four decades dedicated to the art of bonsai, Bonsai West in Littleton is one of New England's premier destinations for this living tradition. — Rachel Holt, CBS News, 31 May 2026

According to the release, the Bonsai House and Garden will house more than 70 bonsai trees, including a 1,100-year-old niwaki tree and a ‘Father Paul’ Boxwood. — Bailey Reed, Louisville Courier Journal, 7 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, literally, tray planting

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bonsai

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny
• descry

Kids Definition

bonsai

noun

bon·​sai (ˈ)bōn-ˈsī  ˈbōn-ˌsī 

ˈbän-ˌsī

plural bonsai

: a miniature plant (as a tree) grown in a pot by special methods to restrict its growth

also : the art of growing such a plant

Etymology

Japanese