芸

蕓

yún

云 + 艹

Definitions

yún common rue (Ruta graveolens); (used in old compounds relating to books because in former times rue was used to protect books from insect damage)

yún used in 蕓薹|芸薹[yún tái]

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 云 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蕓.

Semantic: 艹 Phonetic: 云

About

A phono-semantic compound, 芸 combines the grass radical 艹 at the top, indicating a plant, with the phonetic 云 below. It is the simplified form of 蕓. The character originally denoted a fragrant herb, commonly identified as rue, whose dried leaves were traditionally placed between the pages of books to repel silverfish. This practice associated the character with libraries and scholarship, leading to its modern use in study room names and as a graceful component in feminine names.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)

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

小芸喜欢唱歌。

Xiǎo Yún xǐhuān chànggē.

Xiao Yun likes singing.

芸芸在图书馆看书。

Yún Yun zài túshūguǎn kànshū.

Yun Yun is reading in the library.

妈妈买了芸豆做饭。

Māma mǎi le yúndòu zuò fàn.

Mom bought kidney beans to cook.

芸豆是一种常见的蔬菜。

Yúndòu shì yī zhǒng chángjiàn de shūcài.

Kidney beans are a common vegetable.

花园里种着芸香。

Huāyuán lǐ zhòng zhe yúnxiāng.

Rue is planted in the garden.

芸香的气味很独特。

Yúnxiāng de qìwèi hěn dútè.

The scent of rue is very unique.

小芸和芸芸是好朋友。

Xiǎo Yún hé Yún Yun shì hǎo péngyou.

Xiao Yun and Yun Yun are good friends.

在农业中，芸苔油被广泛使用。

Zài nóngyè zhōng, yúntái yóu bèi guǎngfàn shǐyòng.

In agriculture, rapeseed oil is widely used.

Related Characters

Component: 云

Component: 艹

芸