Origin

This character combines the "illness" or "body" radical on the left with a component meaning "hard" or "immovable" on the right. Together they suggest something that remains fixed on or in the body—a scar, mark, or trace that doesn't go away. The right component also hints at the pronunciation. Over time, the meaning broadened from physical marks on skin to any kind of trace, footprint, or lasting impression left behind.

AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Compound ideographic (combined meanings).