pénzāi kūwěi le.

In this sentence, 枯萎 behaves like a stative verb in Chinese.

That means it can work a bit like an English adjective (wilted, withered) and a bit like a verb (to wither). Chinese does not always separate adjectives and verbs the same way English does.

So:

• 盆栽枯萎了。 = The potted plant has withered / The potted plant is now wilted.

You do not need a verb like is in the middle. Chinese can simply say:

• 盆栽 + 枯萎 + 了

Here, 了 marks a change of state.

It shows that the situation has newly occurred or become true:

• 盆栽枯萎了。 = The potted plant has withered / The potted plant became wilted

This is not just a plain description of a general fact. It suggests a change:

• before: the plant was fine
• now: it is wilted

So this 了 is very important for the sense of something has happened.

Yes, but the meaning changes.

• 盆栽枯萎了。 = the potted plant has withered; it became wilted
• 盆栽枯萎 = potted plants wither / the potted plant is withering / a more general or less complete statement

Without 了, the sentence can sound more like:

• a general statement
• a written description
• part of a larger sentence

For everyday speech, if you mean the plant has now wilted, 了 is the natural choice.

Chinese often uses the pattern:

• noun + stative verb

So instead of saying:

• The potted plant is wilted

Chinese says more literally:

• Potted plant wilted/has wilted

There is no need for a separate verb like is here. That is completely normal in Mandarin.

盆栽 means potted plant.

It refers to a plant grown in a pot. Depending on context, it can sometimes overlap with the idea of decorative plant cultivation, but in normal modern Chinese it usually just means potted plant.

It is not exactly the same as the English word bonsai.

If you specifically mean the Japanese-style miniature tree art, Chinese often says:

• 盆景 = bonsai / miniature landscape plant display

So:

• 盆栽 = potted plant
• 盆景 = bonsai-style display

Not exactly.

• 枯萎 = to wither, wilt, shrivel
• 死 = to die

A plant can 枯萎 before it is completely dead. 枯萎 focuses more on its physical condition: drooping, drying out, losing life and freshness.

So 盆栽枯萎了 does not always mean the plant is fully dead. It means it has withered or wilted.

Yes, but it is a little more descriptive and slightly more formal than some very basic alternatives.

People do use it, especially for plants and flowers. But in casual speech, someone might also say things like:

• 这盆植物快死了。 = This plant is almost dead.
• 花都蔫了。 = The flowers have wilted.

So 枯萎 is common and correct, but it has a somewhat more descriptive, standard feel.

Yes. Chinese often leaves nouns bare when the meaning is clear from context.

So 盆栽枯萎了。 could mean:

• The potted plant has withered
• A potted plant has withered

The exact English article depends on context.

If you want to make it more specific in Chinese, you could say:

• 那盆盆栽枯萎了。 = That potted plant has withered.
• 这盆盆栽枯萎了。 = This potted plant has withered.

Because the sentence is just naming the thing directly: 盆栽.

Measure words are used when you have numbers, demonstratives, and similar structures, such as:

• 一盆盆栽 = one potted plant
• 这盆盆栽 = this potted plant

Here, there is no number or demonstrative, so no measure word is needed:

• 盆栽枯萎了。

Also, notice that 盆 itself can function as the measure word for potted plants in expressions like 这盆花 or 这盆盆栽.

The pinyin is:

• 盆栽 = pénzāi
• 枯萎 = kūwěi
• 了 = le

Tone breakdown:

• 盆 pén = 2nd tone
• 栽 zāi = 1st tone
• 枯 kū = 1st tone
• 萎 wěi = 3rd tone
• 了 le = neutral tone here

A common learner mistake is pronouncing 萎 too strongly. In connected speech, focus on keeping the tones accurate but natural:

• pén-zāi kū-wěi le

Yes, both are natural, but they add different meanings.

• 盆栽都枯萎了。
  = The potted plants have all withered.
  Here 都 suggests multiple plants or everything in the relevant set.

• 盆栽已经枯萎了。
  = The potted plant has already withered.
  Here 已经 emphasizes that the change has already happened.

So the original sentence is simple and neutral, while these versions add extra nuance.

Usually it describes a resulting state after a change.

• 枯萎了 normally means the plant has become withered
• it focuses on the new situation now being true

If you want to emphasize an ongoing process, you would often need more context or different wording, such as:

• 盆栽在枯萎。 = The potted plant is withering.
  This is grammatical, though less common in everyday speech.
• 盆栽正在慢慢枯萎。 = The potted plant is slowly withering.

So 枯萎了 is usually understood as it has withered / it is now wilted.

Yes. It is short, grammatical, and natural.

It sounds like something someone might say when noticing the condition of a plant:

• 盆栽枯萎了。

In real conversation, people might often add a determiner or a topic for clarity:

• 这盆盆栽枯萎了。 = This potted plant has withered.
• 我家的盆栽枯萎了。 = My potted plant has withered.
• 阳台上的盆栽枯萎了。 = The potted plant on the balcony has withered.

But the basic sentence by itself is perfectly fine.