About
The character "粳" is a phono-semantic compound consisting of the semantic component "米", meaning rice, and the phonetic component "更", which originally indicated its pronunciation. This structure has been consistently used to denote japonica rice, a non-glutinous variety, with the meaning focusing specifically on this type of grain throughout its historical usage. The phonetic element's sound has shifted from earlier forms, but the character's etymology remains linked to its compositional elements without significant semantic change.
Etymology Hide
