About
The character 芨 is a phono-semantic compound. Its upper radical 艹 (cǎo), meaning grass or herbs, places it within the botanical domain. The lower component 及 (jí), meaning to reach, serves as its phonetic element. 芨 is a specialized character used primarily for specific medicinal plants. It most commonly appears in the compound "白芨" (báijī), referring to Bletilla striata, an orchid whose tubers are used in traditional Chinese medicine for their astringent and hemostatic properties. Consequently, the character is largely confined to pharmacological and botanical texts.
Etymology Hide
