About
The character 茱 appears almost exclusively in the compound 茱萸 (zhūyú), which refers to the cornelian cherry or dogwood, an aromatic shrub with small, red fruit. Formed as a top-bottom phono-semantic compound, it combines the grass radical 艹 above, marking it as a plant or herb, with 朱 below, a component that supplies the pronunciation. 朱 also stands for vermilion, a color coincidentally matching the plant's bright red berries. The plant holds cultural significance, frequently referenced in classical poetry about the Double Ninth Festival, during which people traditionally wore sprigs of it.
Etymology Hide
Report an issue
Flag incorrect definitions, examples, etymology, etc.