Use the mortar to grind the medicinal herbs into powder.
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钵 is most strongly associated with Buddhist practice — the 托钵 (begging bowl) is a symbol of monastic humility. In traditional Chinese medicine, 乳钵 (small mortar) is used to grind herbs.
Left-side metal radical, the side form of 金. Carries the meaning: a 钵 is a small metal or ceramic eating bowl, especially the Buddhist monk's alms bowl. Same indexing radical as 锅 pot, 银 silver, 钉 nail, 钱 money.
Right side 本 supplies the sound — běn → bō in an old phonetic series. The 'root, source' sense of 本 also lends a faint flavour of essentials: the monk's bowl is the root tool of monastic life. 钵 ultimately loans from Sanskrit pātra (begging bowl).
