Definitions
(literary) to cover; to shelter; (literary) 76 years (unit of time in ancient calendars)
Etymology
About
The character 蔀 originally denoted a screen or awning woven from grass or similar plant materials. It is a phono-semantic compound: the grass radical "艹" at the top indicates its botanical origin, while the component "部" provides the phonetic element. Later, in ancient Chinese astronomy and calendrics, 蔀 developed a specialized meaning referring to a seventy-six-year cycle used to calculate lunar and solar alignments. This shift from a physical structure to an abstract time measurement represents a notable semantic evolution, though both senses are now chiefly found in classical texts and historical astronomical works.