About
Structurally a phono-semantic compound, 硭 (máng) combines the semantic radical 石 (shí, stone) on the left, linking it to minerals and rocks, with the phonetic component 芒 (máng) on the right, indicating its pronunciation. The character primarily refers to the mineral sodium sulfate, most commonly seen in the compound 硭硝 (mángxiāo), a crystalline substance used in traditional medicine and industry. This combination of a mineral radical and a precise phonetic element clearly categorizes the compound within pharmacological and geological terminology.