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The character 蘖 is a phono-semantic compound. Its semantic radical 木 (mù), meaning “wood,” is positioned at the bottom, linking the character to trees and botanical growth. The upper component 薛 (xuē) provides the phonetic element. 蘖 specifically denotes the new shoots or sprouts that regenerate from a cut tree stump or the base of a plant. This term is used in botany and agriculture to describe the resprouting of woody plants, often appearing in classical texts about forestry, cultivation, and the natural resilience of vegetation after being cut or damaged.
Etymology Hide