The Chinese character 藥 (yào) refers to a medicine or drug. It is composed of two parts. The top part, 艹, is the Chinese radical that indicates grass and grass-related plants, including herbs. The lower part, 樂 (pronounced yuè or lè), is a Chinese character in its own right. It has two meanings: music, as well as delight and happiness.
These two parts and three meanings altogether give insight into how the ancient Chinese understood medicine.
