藿
lophanthus rugosus, betony
Readings
On'yomi
- カク
- スイ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
藿 refers to specific aromatic plants: lophanthus rugosus and betony. Its meaning is narrow and botanical, without a clear abstract center beyond these plant names.
Most common words using 藿
- 淫羊藿いんようかく
horny goat weed (Epimedium grandiflorum var. thunbergianum); rowdy lamb herb; barrenwort; bishop's hat; fairy wings; yin yang huo
Study
Etymology
藿 combines the plant radical 艹 with 霍, which likely provides the sound. The exact historical development of 霍 is uncertain, but it may have originally depicted rain and birds, later used phonetically in plant names.
Meaning mnemonic
The grass radical 艹 sits above 霍, which looks like rain 雨 over a bird 隹. Imagine a rare herb that thrives in rainy mountain spots where birds gather: that's the betony plant.
Reading mnemonic
For カク, picture a botanist carefully cataloging the plant: "catalog" -> カク, as they record the betony in their notebook.