蔀

A lightweight, porous screen or mat made from reeds, sedge, or cattails. It may function as an architectural partition, a windbreak, or a temporary covering for protection or concealment.

Primarily a noun. In some contexts, it may be used pivotally or as a verb meaning "to screen off" or "to shield."

Contrast with 簾 (lián). While both are screens, 簾 typically implies bamboo, whereas 蔀 implies reed or sedge. This distinction often signals the formality of the setting or the rustic nature of the object.

Fanqie reading: 蒲口 普后 (pǔ). The phonetic component aligns with 蒲 (cattail/reed), confirming the plant-based composition of the object.

In damaged texts or cursive scripts, the grass radical (艹) is necessary to distinguish this glyph from 溥 (pǔ), meaning "vast" or "extensive."