Definitions

surname Pu; old place name
refers to various monocotyledonous flowering plants including Acorus calamus and Typha orientalis; common cattail; bullrush

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "蒲" is structured with the grass radical (艹) positioned above the phonetic component "浦", a configuration that directly indicates its botanical classification and suggests its pronunciation. Etymologically, the element "浦", meaning riverbank, points to the wetland environments where the cattail plant, the character's original referent, commonly grows. Over time, the semantic scope of "蒲" extended from solely denoting this aquatic plant to encompassing various utilitarian items crafted from its leaves and stems, such as mats, baskets, and fans, while also being incorporated into geographical names as a descriptive term.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

公英是常见植物。

Púgōngyīng shì chángjiàn zhíwù.

Dandelions are common plants.

奶奶用扇扇风。

Nǎinai yòng púshàn shān fēng.

Grandma uses a palm leaf fan to create a breeze.

河岸边生长着许多香

Hé àn biān shēngzhǎng zhe xǔduō xiāngpú.

Many cattails grow along the riverbank.

他跪在团上祈祷。

Tā guì zài pútuán shàng qídǎo.

He knelt on the rush cushion to pray.

微风把公英的种子吹走了。

Wēifēng bǎ púgōngyīng de zhǒngzi chuī zǒu le.

The breeze blew away the dandelion seeds.

这把陈旧的扇承载着童年的记忆。

Zhè bǎ chénjiù de púshàn chéngzài zhe tóngnián de jìyì.

This old palm fan carries memories of childhood.

这片湿地是草繁茂生长的理想环境。

Zhè piàn shīdì shì púcǎo fánmào shēngzhǎng de lǐxiǎng huánjìng.

This wetland is an ideal environment for the lush growth of bulrushes.

植物园的水生植物区展示了多种类。

Zhíwùyuán de shuǐshēng zhíwù qū zhǎnshì le duō zhǒng pú lèi.

The aquatic plant section of the botanical garden displays various types of rushes.