Definitions
used in 鎮筸|镇筸[zhèn gān]
Etymology
About
筸 is a phono-semantic compound originally denoting a slender bamboo variety, now used almost exclusively as a geographical proper noun. It combines the semantic "bamboo" radical 竹 at the top, classifying it as a bamboo, with the phonetic component 旱 below, indicating the pronunciation "gǎn". While its specific botanical meaning has faded, the character persists primarily through its use in "Zhen'gan" (镇筸), the historical name for Fenghuang County in Hunan Province, illustrating how specialized plant characters often survive only within enduring regional place names.