Illustration of bonsai
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
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
Within the soundstage there was a Zen garden, which featured an eight-meter-tall bonsai tree, which took over five months to create.
—
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025
Century-old junipers, twisted by wind into natural bonsai, stood sentinel along ridgelines.
—Kevin Sintumuang, Outside, 12 Sep. 2025
In a recent Instagram photo, the entertaining expert celebrated her birthday while posing with a beautiful bonsai tree.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
The lower level includes a four-car garage with EV charging, a gym with sauna and twin showers, a cinema room, and a private office overlooking a tranquil bonsai garden.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 21 Aug. 2025
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Max Goldbart, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025
Century-old junipers, twisted by wind into natural bonsai, stood sentinel along ridgelines.
—Kevin Sintumuang, Outside, 12 Sep. 2025
In a recent Instagram photo, the entertaining expert celebrated her birthday while posing with a beautiful bonsai tree.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
The lower level includes a four-car garage with EV charging, a gym with sauna and twin showers, a cinema room, and a private office overlooking a tranquil bonsai garden.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bonsai
Cite this Entry
“Bonsai.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bonsai. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bonsai
noun
bon·sai
(ˈ)bōn-ˈsī
ˈbōn-ˌsī
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
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