Definitions

xùn mushroom, fungus; mildew, mold

Etymology phono-semantic

plant

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "蕈" is structured with the grass radical 艹 atop the component 覃, which primarily serves a phonetic function, and its etymology aligns it with plant-like organisms through the semantic cue of the radical. Historically denoting edible fungi, the character's meaning has centered on mushrooms throughout its use in Chinese, with no significant shift in this association over time.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern