About
The character 柘 refers to the silkworm thorn (Cudrania tricuspidata), a hardwood tree whose leaves historically substituted for mulberry leaves in silkworm rearing. Its structure combines the semantic radical 木 (wood) on the left, indicating the tree category, with the phonetic component 石 (stone) on the right, suggesting pronunciation. The tree’s dense, yellow wood was valued for making imperial robes, crafting hunting bows, and producing a yellow dye, linking it closely to ancient textile, woodworking, and silk industry practices.
Etymology Hide
