Origin

This character is a picture of a surface that curves inward. The shape shows a depression or hollow—the two vertical strokes on the sides represent the raised edges, while the dip in the middle represents the sunken part. Early versions were even more obviously bowl-shaped, making the meaning clear at a glance. Over time the form simplified, but the basic idea of "something caved in or hollow" stayed with it.

AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Pictographic or simple.