This is the 1647th most frequent Chinese word.
苗
"苗" means "seedling" or "sprout."
The word '苗' is used here to denote a young plant or sapling.
我刚种下了一棵树苗。
I just planted a tree sapling.
The word '苗' is used metaphorically to indicate the beginning or source of future potential, as in sprouts representing growth.
这些孩子们是国家的未来之苗。
These children are the future sprouts of the nation.
The word '苗头', which contains '苗', refers to the initial signs or beginnings of something, here relating to an illness.