葯
pollen pod at tip of stamen, type of tall grass
Strokes12
Readings
On'yomi
- ヤク
Kun'yomi
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Meaning
葯 refers to a specific botanical structure: the pollen pod at the tip of a stamen, or by extension a type of tall grass. The meanings are linked through the plant domain, with the pollen pod being a specialized part of certain grasses.
Most common words using 葯
- 葯やく
anther
Study
Etymology
葯 combines the grass radical 艹 with 約, which likely provides the sound. The character is a phono-semantic compound where 艹 indicates a plant and 約 hints at the reading ヤク.
Meaning mnemonic
The grass radical 艹 sits above 約, which looks like a tied bundle. Imagine a tall grass with a tied bundle at the tip—that bundle is the pollen pod.
Reading mnemonic
For ヤク, picture a yak (ヤク) grazing on tall grass and getting pollen pods stuck on its nose. The yak's name directly cues the reading ヤク.