Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of plant: A tall, fast-growing tropical or subtropical grass with hollow, woody, jointed stems (culms). It is a member of the grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae.
   • The material from this plant: The hard, durable woody stems of the bamboo plant, used for a wide variety of purposes including construction, furniture, crafts, and tools.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (referring to the plant):
  • The panda's diet consists almost entirely of bamboo.
  • A dense grove of bamboo grew along the riverbank.
• Noun (referring to the material):
  • The house was built using bamboo for the scaffolding.
  • She bought a beautiful bamboo chair for the garden.

Advanced Usage

• "Bamboo shoots": The young, edible sprouts of the bamboo plant, commonly used in Asian cuisine.
  • The stir-fry included fresh bamboo shoots.
• "Bamboo curtain": A historical term, now considered dated, referring to the political and ideological barrier between communist East Asia and the West during the Cold War.
  • The term "bamboo curtain" was analogous to the "iron curtain" in Europe.

Variants and Related Words

• Bambooed (adj., rare): Made of or furnished with bamboo.
  • The balcony had a bambooed railing.
• Bamboo-like (adj.): Resembling bamboo in appearance or characteristics.
  • The plant had tall, bamboo-like stems.

Synonyms

• Cane (when referring to the stem material, though cane often comes from other plants like rattan).
• Reed (for some tall, grass-like plants, but not technically the same).

Related Phrases

• Bamboo network: A term describing networks of overseas Chinese businesses operating in the markets of Southeast Asia that share family and cultural ties.
  • The company's expansion was aided by connections within the bamboo network.

Related Idioms

• "Bamboo ceiling": A barrier to the advancement of Asian professionals into executive and leadership roles in Western corporations, analogous to the "glass ceiling" for women.
  • Despite being highly qualified, many employees felt they faced a bamboo ceiling.

Noun

1. woody tropical grass having hollow woody stems; mature canes used for construction and furniture
2. the hard woody stems of bamboo plants; used in construction and crafts and fishing poles