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The character 硭 (máng) is a phono-semantic compound: the stone radical 石 (shí) on the left places it in the mineral and rock category, while the phonetic 芒 (máng) on the right gives the pronunciation. It refers to the mineral sodium sulfate or saltpeter, and is almost always found in the compound 硭硝 (mángxiāo). This term names a crystalline substance used in traditional medicine, chemical processes, and industry, and the character's structure neatly categorizes it within pharmacological and geological contexts.
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