蓍

Milfoil (//Achillea millefolium//). In classical contexts, this refers specifically to the stalks used as the physical medium for divination.

Functions primarily as a noun (the stalk/plant) or as an attributive modifier for other nouns. It does not typically function as a verb.

Contrast with 筮 (//shì//): 蓍 denotes the object—the milfoil stalk, the botanical material, or the ritual apparatus. In contrast, 筮 denotes the action—the act of divining or the process of seeking an answer using those stalks. The use of 蓍 typically draws attention to the tangible tools or orthodox material requirements of the rite.

Avoid translating 蓍 as "herb" or "weed"; in a classical context, it is an instrument of ritual and statecraft. Its appearance often signals a connection to the //Yijing// (Book of Changes), binary logic (odd/even counting), and requirements of ritual purity regarding the selection and handling of the stalks.