Definitions

(noun) reed; rush

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "芦", representing reed plants, originates from its traditional form "蘆", which integrates the grass radical to signify its botanical nature and the component "盧" for phonetic guidance, a structure that historically conveyed the plant's identity through both meaning and sound. Over time, the character underwent a structural modification where the complex phonetic element was replaced by "户", a simpler component that similarly suggests pronunciation, resulting in the contemporary form while maintaining the grass radical for semantic consistency. Its core meaning has persistently centered on reeds, though it functions within compound terms that occasionally broaden its application to objects derived from or associated with such plants, reflecting a continuity in lexical use alongside its graphical refinement.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

池塘边长满了苇。

Chítáng biān zhǎng mǎn le lúwěi.

The pond side is full of reeds.

荟对皮肤很好。

Lúhuì duì pífū hěn hǎo.

Aloe is good for the skin.

妈妈用荟凝胶。

Māma yòng lúhuì níngjiāo.

Mom uses aloe gel.

夏天苇很茂盛。

Xiàtiān lúwěi hěn màoshèng.

In summer, reeds are lush.

笋是一种健康蔬菜。

Lúsǔn shì yī zhǒng jiànkāng shūcài.

Asparagus is a healthy vegetable.

他喜欢吹奏笛。

Tā xǐhuān chuīzòu lúdí.

He likes to play the reed pipe.

这个葫形状很特别。

Zhège húlu xíngzhuàng hěn tèbié.

This gourd has a very special shape.

苇丛中栖息着多种水鸟。

Lúwěi cóng zhōng qīxī zhe duō zhǒng shuǐniǎo.

Various water birds inhabit the reed thicket.