Definitions
arrow; weeds
Etymology
About
The character 菆 (zōu) is a phono-semantic compound formed by the grass radical 艹 (cǎo) and the phonetic component 取 (qǔ). Originally, it referred to a specific type of stiff weed or hemp-like stalk. This meaning was later extended to high-quality arrows, as the plant's straight and durable stems were frequently harvested to make arrow shafts. Over time, the archery sense became the character's most prominent literary usage. Today, 菆 is a highly specialized classical character, rarely found outside ancient texts that detail historical weaponry or specific traditional agricultural products.
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