About
The character 孛, structurally composed of the grass radical 艹 above 子 (child) in its contemporary form, originated from a depiction of vigorous plant growth. This etymological basis in botanical sprouting extended to denote bright, bursting celestial bodies, particularly comets, as recorded in ancient historical texts. Its meaning transitioned from indicating flourishing vegetation to specializing in reference to astral phenomena, and it is now chiefly encountered in classical literature or in compound words like 孛星 (comet) and as a surname.
Etymology Hide
