芙

fú

夫 + 艹

Definitions

fú used in 芙蓉[fú róng], lotus

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 夫 represents the sound.

Semantic: 艹 Phonetic: 夫

About

芙 (fú) is a phonosemantic compound: the grass radical 艹 (a simplified form of 艸, "grass") at the top marks it as plant-related, while 夫 (fū) below gives the sound. The character rarely appears alone; it is a bound morpheme used in compound words for highly prized flowering plants. Its most important compound is 芙蓉 (fúróng), which historically could refer either to the lotus when growing in water or to the cotton rose (Confederate rose) when cultivated on land. Both flowers are admired for their delicate petals and striking beauty, giving 芙 a refined aesthetic quality. The character appears frequently in literary contexts and is a popular choice in female personal names, where it conveys natural elegance and floral charm.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

她种了一朵芙蓉。

Tā zhòngle yī duǒ fúróng.

She planted a lotus flower.

池塘里的芙蓉真美丽。

Chítáng lǐ de fúróng zhēn měilì.

The lotus flowers in the pond are truly beautiful.

我喜欢芙蓉花清雅的香气。

Wǒ xǐhuān fúróng huā qīngyǎ de xiāngqì.

I like the elegant fragrance of lotus flowers.

这种芙蓉糕是我的家乡特产。

Zhè zhǒng fúróng gāo shì wǒ de jiāxiāng tèchǎn.

This kind of hibiscus cake is a specialty of my hometown.

湖面铺满了翠绿的芙蕖叶子。

Hú miàn pū mǎnie cuìlǜ de fúqú yèzi.

The lake surface was covered with emerald green lotus leaves.

艺术家精心描绘了芙蓉的形态。

Yìshùjiā jīngxīn miáohuìle fúróng de xíngtài.

The artist meticulously depicted the form of the lotus.

植物园里有个专门的芙蕖展示区。

Zhíwùyuán lǐ yǒu gè zhuānmén de fúqú zhǎnshì qū.

There is a special lotus display area in the botanical garden.

透过显微镜观察芙榕的细胞结构。

Tòuguò xiǎnwēijìng guānchá fúróng de xìbāo jiégòu.

Observe the cellular structure of the hibiscus through a microscope.

Related Characters

Component: 夫

Component: 艹

芙