Origin

The character 菊 combines the grass radical at the top, which marks it as a plant, with the component 匊 below that serves as a sound hint for pronunciation. The grass radical 艹 tells you this kanji refers to something that grows from the earth, while 匊 doesn't contribute a meaning—it's there to suggest how the word sounds. Together, these components created a character that specifically identifies the chrysanthemum flower, one of the most important flowers in Japanese and Chinese culture.