Definitions
stibene
Etymology
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The character "菧" is structured with the grass radical (艹) above the phonetic component "底", forming a phono-semantic compound that initially denoted a type of plant. Its etymology aligns with the grass radical's categorical reference to vegetation, while "底" provided a phonetic guide, though the modern pronunciation may differ. The meaning of "菧" shifted from a general herbal reference to a specific designation for the water chestnut, largely retained in the compound "菧薺", where it is now almost exclusively used.