Definitions

used in 茱萸[zhū yú]

Etymology phono-semantic

plant

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

is a phono-semantic compound: the grass radical above indicates a plant, and the phonetic component below suggests the pronunciation yú. It is almost always used in the compound 茱萸 (zhuyú), the dogwood tree, a plant valued for its medicinal and cultural roles. This plant features prominently in traditional literature and customs of the Double Ninth Festival, where it was worn as a talisman to ward off evil and prevent disease.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern