About
The character 菘 (sōng) is a phono-semantic compound. Its semantic radical 艹 (cǎo) at the top classifies it among herbs and herbaceous plants, while the phonetic component 松 (sōng, “pine tree”) at the bottom indicates its pronunciation. Historically, 菘 served as a general term for cultivated leafy greens in the Brassica genus, such as Chinese cabbage or bok choy. The choice of the “pine” element also hints at the hardiness of these vegetables, which, much like pine trees, remain green and resilient through cold winters.