Definitions
(literary) lotus seed; Taiwan pr. [dī]
Etymology
About
菂 (dì) combines the grass radical 艹 (cǎo) above with the phonetic component 的 (dì) below, directly linking it to plants. It specifically means the seed of the lotus, a plant of great importance in agriculture and symbolism. The grass radical places it among other botanical terms for flora, fruits, and crops. As lotus seeds are both food and medicine, 菂 appears in pharmacopeias, historical recipes, and classical poetry about harvesting aquatic plants in late summer or early autumn.