About
The character 蔫 is a phono-semantic compound. The grass radical 艹 at the top places it within the semantic field of plants. The component 焉 below serves as the phonetic element, indicating pronunciation. Its primary meaning describes the withering or drooping of plants as they lose moisture and vitality. This literal sense extends metaphorically to human beings, describing a listless, lethargic, or emotionally low state, much like a wilting plant.
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