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The character 栎, whose traditional form is 櫟, is a phono-semantic compound. The semantic radical 木 ('wood' or 'tree') combines with the phonetic 乐, which is the simplified version of 樂. It is a botanical noun that specifically denotes the oak tree, a group of deciduous and evergreen species known for their hard wood and acorns. The phonetic 乐 supplies the pronunciation and bears no semantic relation to music or happiness; it serves solely as a sound indicator for this particular tree.
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