About
The character 坼 (chè) is a phono-semantic compound that depicts the splitting of the ground. The left-side earth radical 土 (tǔ) provides the semantic category of land or soil, while the right component 斥 (chì) indicates the pronunciation. Originally, it described the cracking of earth due to drought, earthquakes, or frost. Its meaning later broadened to include the tearing or bursting of other objects such as skin, seeds, or clothing, though it remains a formal term mainly used in writing.
Etymology Hide
