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As a phono-semantic compound, 稂 combines the semantic radical 禾 (grain) on the left, placing it in the category of plants or agriculture, with the phonetic component 良 (liáng) on the right to indicate pronunciation. It specifically denotes a wild grass or weed that resembles healthy grain but yields no harvest, often growing intrusively among crops. This agricultural association led to its frequent appearance in classical texts describing such weeds, and later to metaphorical use in compounds for individuals who are useless, harmful, or otherwise bad while blending in with the populace.
Etymology Hide
