About
The character 圬 is a phono-semantic compound, formed with the semantic earth radical 土 (tǔ) on the left, indicating soil or clay, and the phonetic component 亏 (kuī) on the right. It functions primarily as a verb meaning to plaster or daub, specifically describing the action of applying mud, mortar, or plaster to a wall in traditional construction and repair. By extension, 圬 can also refer to the trowel, the tool masons use for this smoothing work. The character is inherently linked to traditional masonry trades, reflecting ancient building techniques that relied on earthen materials and manual plastering.