Definitions

Celosia argentea; luxuriant

Etymology phono-semantic

grass

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

combines the grass radical on top, signaling its plant-related meaning, with the phonetic component beneath. It serves almost exclusively as an adjective for luxuriant, dense plant growth, and appears frequently in classical poetry to evoke vibrant natural settings. Its reduplicated form 萋萋 intensifies the sense of flourishing, overgrown vegetation, functioning as an evocative literary and botanical term rather than an everyday word.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern