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The character 蚧 is a phono-semantic compound: the radical 虫 (which covers insects, reptiles, amphibians, and other creeping creatures) signals the general biological category, while the component 介 indicates its pronunciation. This character appears almost exclusively in the zoological name 蛤蚧 (gejie) for the Tokay gecko, a large nocturnal lizard native to parts of Asia. Its use is concentrated in biological contexts and traditional pharmacopeia, because the gecko has been historically collected, dried, and used in medicinal preparations to treat respiratory and internal ailments.
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