荚 (jiá): pod (of beans, peas, etc.)

Meanings

豌豆的豆荚饱满。

Wāndòu de dòujiá bǎomǎn.

The pea pods are plump and full.

豆荚成熟后裂开，种子落下来。

Dòujiá chéngshú hòu lièkāi, zhǒngzi luò xiàlái.

When the pod ripens it splits open and the seeds fall out.

usage

Used in 豆荚 (bean pod) and 皂荚 (soap-pod tree). It names the long protective case that splits open to release seeds.

radical

艹 cǎo

grass; plant

The grass radical on top marks this as a plant part, here the seed pod of legumes.

phonetic

夹 jiā

to press between; to clip

Carries the sound, and its meaning helps too: 夹 is 'to clamp between', and a pod is exactly a casing that holds seeds pressed inside.

荚 jiá