About
The character 棣 (dì) is a phono-semantic compound, with the wood radical 木 (mù) on the left indicating its semantic category related to plants. The right component 隈 (lì) provides the phonetic element. It originally referred to a specific deciduous shrub, the Japanese kerria (Kerria japonica), known for its bright yellow flowers. Through its frequent use in classical poetry to depict the plant's closely clustered blossoms, the character developed a metaphorical sense denoting a younger brother or harmonious sibling relations.
Etymology Hide
