Definitions
to urge on; incite
Etymology
About
嗾 is a phono-semantic compound: the mouth radical 口 (kǒu) on the left indicates speech or vocal sounds, and the right component 族 (zú), which ordinarily means 'clan', serves strictly as a phonetic marker, without contributing its semantic meaning. Originally, the character referred to the sharp whistling or shouting sound used by hunters or handlers to urge a dog to attack or pursue prey. Over time, it evolved into a broader, usually negative verb meaning to instigate, provoke, or secretly incite someone to commit a hostile act, retaining the notion of commanding an attack from the shadows.
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