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The character 荆, traditionally written as 荊, etymologically combines the grass radical 艹 with the component 刑, which primarily functions as a phonetic element, to originally designate a thorny shrub known as the chaste tree or bramble. Its structural configuration has maintained this botanical association through the radical while the phonetic component has historically guided its pronunciation. Over time, the meaning of 荆 broadened from strictly referring to the plant itself to encompassing objects fashioned from its wood, such as switches or rudimentary tools, and it gradually acquired metaphorical connotations related to difficulty or obstruction due to its prickly nature. This semantic extension further led to its employment in proper nouns, including geographical locations and surnames, thereby enriching its usage within various cultural and historical contexts without fundamentally changing its graphical construction.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
路上有很多荆棘。
荆条可以用来编筐。
这种植物叫荆芥。
他在荆棘丛中迷路了。
奶奶用荆条做了个花篮。
这片荒野布满了荆棘。
面对生活的荆棘，她从不退缩。
这些古老的荆编手艺正在失传。