About
The character 芰 is a phono-semantic compound. The top radical 艹 places it in the botanical category of grasses and herbs. The bottom component 攸 provides its phonetic value. Semantically, 芰 is the specific term for the water caltrop, an aquatic plant known for its edible, horn-shaped nut. While serving as a precise noun for this species, it frequently appears in classical poetry and botanical texts, often paired with 荷 (lotus), to describe the specialized flora of shallow lakes and ponds.
Etymology Hide
