About
The character 皤 (pó) is a phono-semantic compound describing a pure, striking white, especially the white hair of an elderly person signifying advanced age. Its semantic radical 白 (bái, "white") on the left provides the core meaning, while 番 (fān) on the right functions as the phonetic component. Its usage is closely tied to the literary expression "白发皤皤" (bái fà pó pó), depicting flowing white hair, which solidifies its association with venerable old age. Consequently, 皤 is primarily used in formal or poetic contexts to describe elderly physical traits, rather than any white object.
Etymology Hide
