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莪 is a phono-semantic compound with the grass radical 艹 at the top marking it as a plant, and 我 (wǒ) below supplying the sound. Historically, it named a leafy plant like mustard or artemisia, often appearing in classical poetry to describe lush vegetation. As botanical terminology became more precise, its meaning narrowed to zedoary (Curcuma zedoaria), especially the rhizome used in traditional medicine.
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