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驺 (zōu), whose traditional form is 騶, is a phono-semantic compound: the semantic element 马 (simplified from 馬) indicates an association with horses, while the phonetic 刍 (simplified from 芻) means hay or fodder. Historically, it denoted an equestrian groom, horse breeder, or outrider tasked with driving carriages and maintaining horses for the nobility and high-ranking officials. It also frequently occurs in the ancient mythological compound 驺虞 (zōuyú), a righteous, benevolent creature described as a white tiger with black spots, renowned for its strict vegetarianism and its refusal to trample living grass.
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