About
茂 is a phono-semantic compound: the semantic component 艹 (cǎo) 'grass, vegetation' sits above the phonetic 戊 (wù). While 戊 originally depicted a weapon and denotes an Earthly Branch, in this character it simply provides the pronunciation. The grass radical firmly places 茂 in the botanical realm. Originally, it described lush vegetation, plants growing thickly and vigorously. The meaning later broadened to embrace any kind of vigorous abundance, metaphorically applied to outstanding human talent, rich cultural production, and widespread prosperity. The structure combines a categorical marker for flora with a distinct phonetic, neatly distinguishing the character while evoking dense organic growth.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
公园里的草木很茂盛。
森林茂密，空气清新。
夏天，植物生长得茂盛。
这片茂盛的草原很美。
茂密的枝叶遮挡了阳光。
由于雨水充足，庄稼长得茂盛。
在茂盛的森林里，有许多野生动物。
尽管天气干旱，但这片树林依然茂密，令人惊叹。
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