About
The character 粢 is a phono-semantic compound, with the rice radical 米 at the bottom providing its semantic category of grain, and the phonetic component 次 on top indicating the pronunciation "zi". It originally referred to a specific grain, most often common millet, used as an important offering in sacrificial rites. In classical texts, its meaning sometimes broadened to a general term for cereals or sacrificial grains. This structure places the grain category at its foundation, underscoring its agricultural and ritual significance.
Etymology Hide
