strong-smelling vegetable, non-vegetarian food

葷 is composed of the radical 艸 (grass) and 軍 (military, armored vehicle). 艸 is a pictograph of grass, referring to vegetables, while 軍 denotes an armed force, implying aggression or intensity. Thus, 葷 represents vegetables with a pungent or strong flavor, such as onions and garlic, and also broadly refers to non-vegetarian food.