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楂 is a phono-semantic compound combining the left-side wood radical 木 (mù) and the right-side phonetic component 查 (chá, to check). The radical indicates wood or plants, while 查 supplies the sound. Depending on pronunciation, it carries distinct meanings: read as zhā, it denotes the hawthorn tree and its fruit, commonly used in traditional cooking and medicine; read as chá, it means a raft or floating wood.
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