爛

• Organic decay: The wet, soft decay of organic matter (e.g., fruit, vegetation).
• Thermal degradation: Matter rendered soft or disintegrated by heat; boiled until mushy, melted, or overdone.
• Intensity and profusion: A state where form is lost due to an excess of light or color; dazzling or overflowing (e.g., 爛漫).
• Metaphorical extensions: Worthless, degenerate, or ruined.

// Frequently functions as a resultative verb, denoting the outcome of a process (e.g., cooked //until* soft) rather than a simple adjective.

• Contrast with 朽: Whereas 朽 denotes dry, brittle crumbling (typically wood), 爛 implies a softening or liquefying process.
• Contrast with 闌: While both share a phonetic root and association with end states, 闌 typically refers to the approach of an end, whereas 爛 refers to the result of collapse or disintegration.

• Simplified variant: 烂 (U+70C2).

• The presence of the fire radical (灬) associates the glyph with degradation caused by heat.

• In early manuscripts, verify if the fire radical is present or replaced by water, as this may shift the emphasis from heat-induced softening to moisture-induced rot.