About
The character "茹" is structured with the grass radical atop the phonetic component "如", indicating its early association with plant matter and consumption, as the radical often signals vegetation-related meanings. Its original sense centered on eating, particularly vegetables or coarse food, a usage preserved in classical idioms describing primitive diets. Over time, the meaning broadened from physical ingestion to abstract notions of enduring or suffering, metaphorically extending the idea of consuming something unpalatable to experiencing hardship. This semantic expansion is reflected in later compounds where "茹" conveys tolerance or containment, while its form has maintained the phonetic guidance of "如" without substantial alteration.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
小茹是我的好朋友。
她每天茹素不吃肉。
我朋友茹素已经三年了。
茹老师教我们中文。
她姓茹，叫茹萍。
这种动物茹草为生。
在传统文化中，茹素被视为修行。
在困难时期，他们只能茹树皮草根。