蓼

A phono-semantic compound, consists of:

艹 (grass radical) — semantic component, indicates plant or herb.

翏 — phonetic component, supplies pronunciation "ryo / liǎo."

Thus, the character means a specific type of grass or herb.

Rare in modern writing; appears mainly in botanical or classical contexts.

여뀌 (蓼) — smartweed

In traditional East Asian herbal knowledge, 蓼 refers to plants with a sharp or peppery taste.

蓼 specifically refers to a sharp-tasting herb often growing in wet areas.

Because of its bitterness, it became metaphorically associated with adversity or acquired taste.

Related characters:

草 — grass

菊 — chrysanthemum

蘭 — orchid

茶 — tea