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The character 栌 (lú), the simplified form of 櫨, is a phono-semantic compound denoting a specific botanical species. Its structure combines the semantic radical 木 (mù) on the left, indicating a tree or woody plant, with the phonetic component 卢 (lú) on the right, which provides the pronunciation. Etymologically, it refers to the smoke tree or sumac, a deciduous plant known for its vibrant autumn foliage and historically valued for its timber, particularly in crafting the capitals or brackets atop pillars in traditional Chinese architecture.
Etymology Hide