粥

The Chinese character 粥 (zhōu) for "congee" is composed of two parts: the radical 米 (mǐ) and the phonetic component 勺 (sháo). The radical 米 indicates that the character is related to food, while the phonetic component 勺 suggests the pronunciation of the character.The original meaning of 粥 was "rice soup" or "rice porridge". In ancient China, congee was a common food for the poor and the sick. It was made by boiling rice in water until it became soft and mushy. Congee was also used as a medicine to treat various illnesses.Over time, the meaning of 粥 expanded to include other types of porridge made from different grains, such as wheat, millet, and corn. Today, congee is a popular breakfast food in many parts of China and other Asian countries. It is also a popular comfort food for people who are sick or recovering from an illness.The character 粥 is also used in a number of Chinese idioms and proverbs. For example, the idiom 一粥一饭, 当思来之不易 (yī zhōu yī fàn, dāng sī lái zhī bù yì) means "every grain of rice and every morsel of food should be cherished, because it is not easy to come by". This idiom teaches people to be grateful for the food they have and to not waste it.