牀

A raised wooden platform. Depending on context and social setting, this encompasses a place for sleep (bed) or a place for sitting and receiving guests in a semi-reclined position (couch/bench).

Functions almost exclusively as a noun. It frequently serves as a locative anchor; the translator should determine whether the glyph refers to the furniture itself or the location of an action.

While there is significant overlap with 榻 (//tā//), the latter often refers specifically to a daybed or a more portable lounging couch. If both appear in the same text, 榻 typically leans toward social/lounging use, while 牀 leans toward rest.

Semantic variant 床 (U+5E8A). In the vast majority of classical contexts, these are interchangeable; alternation between them is typically a matter of scribal habit rather than a shift in meaning.

The 牀 refers to the wooden frame or platform. It is frequently paired with 席 (//xí//, mat) or 褥 (//rù//, padding/mattress), which provide the actual surface of contact. Avoid projecting modern furniture concepts onto the text; treat the object as a structural support.