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The character 虬 combines the semantic radical 虫 (chóng, referring to insects, worms, or reptiles) with the phonetic component 乚 (yǐ), which not only suggests the pronunciation but also visually evokes a twisting shape. In the traditional form 虯, this phonetic is written as 丩 (jiū). The character denotes a young, hornless dragon in Chinese mythology, often depicted with a coiling or writhing body. The use of 虫 reflects an ancient classification that grouped dragons with snakes and worms as scaly creatures. By extension, 虬 describes anything that coils or twists, such as gnarled roots and branches, particularly in literary contexts.
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