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The character 蓍 is a phono-semantic compound with the botanical radical 艹 (grass/vegetation) on top, indicating its semantic connection to plants. The lower component 耆 (qí) provides the phonetic element. 蓍 specifically refers to the yarrow or milfoil plant, a perennial herb whose dried stalks were historically essential for divination rituals in the I Ching. Consequently, the character is closely associated with ancient fortune-telling and philosophical practices, and it seldom appears in general botanical contexts outside these specialized uses.
Etymology Hide
