Definitions

sticky rice; mochi

Etymology phono-semantic

rice

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

refers to a sticky, glutinous rice cake or paste, traditionally pounded and eaten during festive occasions or as a local snack. It is a phono-semantic compound: the radical (rice) indicates the main agricultural ingredient and culinary nature, and the phonetic component supplies the pronunciation while having no direct semantic relation to food or cooking. The character is a highly specific term that emerged to describe regional glutinous rice preparations, and its meaning stays confined to this food category without any abstract extension.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern