U+83BC "莼" CJK Unified Ideograph-# Unicode Character

U+83BC "莼" CJK Unified Ideograph-# is a Chinese character that primarily refers to a type of aquatic plant known as the water shield, a leafy perennial herb commonly found in ponds and slow-moving waters across East Asia. This character, which is an alternative form of 蒓, is often associated with traditional cuisine, particularly in Chinese and Japanese dishes where the young, gelatinous leaves of the Brasenia schreberi plant are used in soups and salads. Its usage appears in classical literature and modern contexts to denote both the plant itself and, by extension, the gentle, slippery texture of its edible parts.