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A phono-semantic compound, 薮 combines the grass radical 艹 (signifying vegetation and natural landscapes) at the top with the phonetic 数 below. The phonetic 数 is a simplification of 數, which contains elements related to counting and striking; the traditional form is 藪. Its original meaning is a marsh, swamp, or shallow lake teeming with aquatic plants and wild vegetation. Because such fertile, overgrown wetlands attract large numbers of birds, fish, and other wildlife, the meaning broadened to a gathering place or hub for people or things. The character frequently appears in literature to describe a dense concentration of individuals, often with a slightly negative connotation of hiding outlaws or sheltering rebels.
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