The shapes of GINGER rhizomes, the root portions used in cooking, apparently to some folks may resemble the vaginal area of「female sheep when tupping correctly.」…or more likely, GINGER used to make a「sheepish female」as one who behaves as do ewes whilst tupping.
　Torture of a misbehaving female was enjoyed by an audience publicly hooting and cat-calling after placing shaved raw ginger roots in each of her groin orifices while her limbs were bound (known in the West as 'figging': that'll teach 'em, eh?) see these glyphs all meaning ginger, gingerly: 姜 sheepish female. 茱 shafts deflowering and bloody crimson. 莘 two shafts of torture. 椒 woody like a close male relative's. 薑 two shafts arrayed in plugged orifices, approaching the absolute maximum limit. 蘅 plant shafts while yoked. 蘘 plant shafts while naked and yielding.
　What humans do to one another:
　「Figging is the practice of inserting a piece of skinned ginger root into the anus or the vagina of a person [or, both orifices simultaneously]. It has been used as a means of punishment. …This method of physical punishment was first invented for disciplinary use on female slaves…and was unofficially used as a means of disciplinary corporal punishment for female prisoners in the Victorian age. The detained person subjected to this procedure was mostly restrained in an immobile position to prevent taking out the root by themselves, when the uncomfortable sensation would become effectively intolerable. The ginger, skinned and often carved into the shape of a butt plug, causes an intense burning sensation and often intolerable discomfort to the subject. The effect builds up to the maximum within about the first two to five minutes and lasts for about half an hour before gradually easing while the essential oils are depleting. The used ginger can be skinned further or a new one can be used for continuation with an undiminished effect on the subject. If the person being figged tightens the muscles of the anus, the sensation becomes more intense. For this reason it was often used in caning to prevent clenching of the buttocks.」
　　[　https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figging 2017-03-09　]　

Modern definitions (that generally disregard history) …excluding politically incorrect concepts and other meanings deemed offensive today; may list only pigeonholed definitions, euphemisms, or meaningless mnemonics)
Chinese: ginger
Unihan extended: surname; ginger
EDRDG: Chinese surname; ginger

Used within names (nanori)
かん