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蔂 (léi) is a phono-semantic compound that originally denoted a woven basket or hod used for carrying earth during construction or agricultural earthworks. It is composed of 艹 (cǎo) 'grass/plant' at the top, indicating the plant material, and below that 畾 (léi) and 糸 (mì) 'silk/thread', which together supply the sound léi and evoke the image of intertwined cords or ropes. The character's structure, plant fibers bound with threads, mirrors the physical construction of these utilitarian baskets, which were made from vines, grass, or rough cords.
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