About
The character 哙 (kuài), the simplified equivalent of traditional 噲, is a phono-semantic compound. The semantic component 口 (mouth) on the left indicates a connection to eating or speaking, while the phonetic 会, a simplification of 會, supplies the sound. Its primary historical meaning, common in older literature, is the physical act of swallowing, often implying gulping down food greedily or eating with a ravenous appetite. Beyond this verbal sense, the character also developed into a descriptor for bright, cheerful, or talkative states. Today, it is best known from ancient personal names, most notably the Han dynasty general Fan Kuai (樊哙).
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