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菘 (sōng) is a phono-semantic compound made up of the grass radical 艹 (cǎo), which signals that the character belongs to the category of herbaceous plants, and the phonetic 松 (sōng, 'pine') that supplies the pronunciation. In historical usage, it served as a generic term for cultivated leafy greens, especially Brassica vegetables like Chinese cabbage and bok choy. The phonetic 松 is not merely a sound element; it also subtly hints at the plant's resilience, as these vegetables, much like pines, endure cold and remain green throughout the winter.
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