pith

• 名词，指植物茎干中柔软、海绵状的中央组织（髓）；也比喻事物最核心、最重要的部分。

A noun referring to the soft, spongy central tissue in plant stems, or metaphorically to the essential, most vital part of an idea or experience.

不可数

1. Plant tissueB2formal

   The soft, spongy central cylinder found in the stems of most flowering plants.

   髓

   • The pith of the sunflower stem is light and airy.
   • Botanists study the pith to understand plant growth.
   • The pith in young shoots is often white and tender.

   同义词medulla

2. Core or essenceC1formal

   The most important, essential, or vital part of an idea, argument, or experience.

   核心

   • The pith of her argument was that education must be free.
   • He quickly got to the pith of the matter during the discussion.
   • The pith of the novel is its exploration of human resilience.

   同义词corecruxessencegistheartkernelmarrowmeatnubsubstance

   反义词exteriorperipherysuperficiality

• 较古旧的动词，指去除植物的芯或髓；比喻义为摧毁或去除某事物的关键、要害部分。

An archaic verb meaning to extract the pith from a plant, or figuratively, to kill or destroy the vital part of something.

1. Remove the pithB2formal

   To remove the soft, spongy white tissue from the rind of a citrus fruit or from a plant stem.

   去除白瓤

   • She carefully piths the oranges before making marmalade.
   • The chef piths the lemons to avoid bitterness in the sauce.
   • He piths the stems of the plants before using them in the arrangement.